Liverpool have to make their move now to seal £100M+ marquee move before home-grown status no longer applies

Liverpool have been continually linked with a move for young superstar Jude Bellingham this summer.

But, they have to make their move now to seal what would be a marquee signing.

His home-grown status as a player in the Premier League would run out next summer when Liverpool are looking to mount an official move.

This is why Liverpool could look to make Bellingham the signing of the summer in a sensational move to avoid missing out on his home-grown standing.

Bellingham's HG status

Bellingham, formally of Birmingham City, spent nearly ten years with the Midlands club but only spent one year there between the ages of 16-21.

That means he won’t be classed as homegrown unless he joins the Premier League this summer.

He left his boyhood club in 2020, aged 17, where he only featured for one season.

This means that if he was to stay another year at Dortmund, he would lose his home-grown status which is so appealing to big clubs with regards to the options it affords them with player registration.

Last summer, Liverpool were in a position where they couldn't sign any non-homegrown players without selling either Xherdan Shaqiri or Divock Origi.

By the time Shaqiri left, Liverpool had missed out on a few options to replenish their squad.

Is a move to bring Bellingham to Liverpool likely?

Bellingham's current status is that he is likely to stay at Borussia Dortmund this summer, despite heavy interest.

Next summer, reportedly five top clubs will be gunning to sign the young star, including Liverpool.

With Liverpool already spending big on Darwin Nunez, it's unlikely we would see another big signing from a club which utilises a 'sell to buy' strategy and has done for years.

However, with Bellingham losing his HG status after this season, then it may push clubs in England to move this summer.

Why is home-grown status important?

As quoted by Gerard Brand on Sky Sports: “The homegrown quota is less about avoiding punishment, and more about having the maximum number of experienced players available”

The idea of homegrown does not apply to nationality; it is a player of any nationality that has spent at least three seasons training at a professional English or Welsh club before the age of 21.

For example – Cesc Fabregas at Arsenal.

At the moment in the Premier League, clubs need at least eight homegrown players out of a squad of 25.

Any less and their squad has to become reduced.

Liverpool’s HG players include: Caoimhin Kelleher, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Joe Gomez, Jordan Henderson, James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Nat Philips, Ben Davies and new signing Fabio Carvalho.

Liverpool have a big squad, and their home-grown quota could change with rumours of Philips and Davies moving on for regular football, leaving them with six names.

A full complement of 25 players requires eight homegrown names to be listed, but with the Reds naming any less than that, they could be forced to register a smaller squad as a result.