Liverpool and Manchester United set for £100million transfer battle for star Pep called a "fantastic player" in 2021

Liverpool will need to be wary of interest in Jude Bellingham from Manchester United as they have made the midfielder their first-choice target.

England's two biggest clubs have both made the teenage ace a priority for the summer and last week Caught Offside reported that Liverpool are aiming for an 'ambitious' swoop for the Borussia Dortmund star.

Although, Bild reckon it will cost £100million this year for Liverpool or the like to prise the Englishman away from BVB.

The Athletic reports that Bellingham tops Manchester United's transfer list as far as options in midfield are concerned and so it looks as though Liverpool are set for a summer transfer battle over the 18-year-old if both sides go forward with their interest.

Declan Rice is said to rank highly as a target for United while Liverpool have been heavily linked with soon to be free agents Franck Kessie and Denis Zakaria this month.

While the latter two would be very good options for Liverpool and I think Jurgen Klopp's system could get the most out of them, there is no hiding the fact that Bellingham has the potential to be one of the very best midfielders of his generation.

He's only 18 and he's already won the DFB Pokal with Borussia Dortmund and came very close to winning the EUROs with England last summer.

After the Champions League knockout tie between BVB and Manchester City, Pep Guardiola spoke in disbelief at how Bellingham plays with such maturity and demands the ball from fully-fledged professionals as if he's been around the block for decades.

Pep said: "I can't believe it, maybe he's a liar! He's so good for 17 years old, he's a fantastic player.

"There was one moment when he didn't get the ball from central defenders, how he shouts and demands that ball to him at 17 means a lot.

"I spoke with his manager, Edin [Terzic], and he told me what you see in these two games is like every training session."

Liverpool aren't the type of club to beat Manchester United in a £100million bidding war but for a player like Bellingham, who can be the face of your midfield for the better part of a decade, you won't regret spending that kind of money.