Jude Bellingham says £43M Liverpool star is "too good, man"

Liverpool-linked Jude Bellingham has praised Virgil van Dijk while picking his FIFA Team of the Year on YouTube for Borussia Dortmund.

The Englishman has been heavily linked with a move to Anfield and may well arrive in the summer for a Premier League transfer record.

Sky Sports report that Liverpool are the favourites to secure his signature and fans have erupted at the recent update.

Whether or not he joins, his admiration for Liverpool stars has been clear for some time already.

In a video on Borussia Dortmund's channel, the 19-year-old was asked to pick his TOTY for 2022 and was very careful not to weigh in on the right back debate.

Bellingham deliberately chose Achraf Hakimi for a key reason.

In his words, he said: "I'm not picking between the English guys. I'm gonna go with Hakimi.

"He was amazing at the World Cup and I won't get killed for picking him. "

Bellingham praises van Dijk

However, when it came to choosing centre-backs, he simply couldn't leave the big man, Virgil van Dijk, out of his XI.

Van Dijk, who is valued at €50M (£44M), was world class last season even if his levels have dipped along with other Liverpool players.

Speaking on the Dutchman, Bellingham said: "I think van Dijk, always.

"He's too good, man. I'll put him in and I'll probably put next to him Marquinhos."

Ultimately, he went with Eder Militao next to van Dijk for his key role in Real Madrid's Champions League success over the Reds last season.

It's easy to get carried away and start talking about how it would be amazing to see Bellingham in front of van Dijk next season but I think it would be most exciting to see how he would dovetail with the likes of Mo Salah, Darwin Nunez and Luis Diaz.

Bellingham is needed at Anfield

This season, Liverpool have needed someone with Bellingham's mobility and press resistance with the likes of Jordan Henderson and Fabinho battling under pressure.

A lot has to change at Liverpool over the next 8 months but signing the Borussia Dortmund star in the summer would be the most surefire way of improving this side.

With Marca reporting that Real Madrid cannot compete financially with Liverpool for Bellingham's signature, the coast may be clear for his summer arrival.

That said it will take a fee in the region of €150M (£132M) to convince Dortmund to part ways.