Bellingham urged to join ‘more successful’ Man Utd over Liverpool

Suraj Radia

• 5 Mar 2023 11:35 GMT
• 2 min read

Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice should join Manchester United over Liverpool according to Rio Ferdinand, who believes his former club are likely to be ‘more successful’ than their rivals in the future.

Both Bellingham and Rice are set for big money transfers this summer and United are expected to battle for both, with Arsenal and Chelsea also targeting a midfielder.

Bellingham will likely command a fee of around €150 million and Liverpool are thought to be favourites for his signature, along with Manchester City and Real Madrid, however Ferdinand believes United would be the best choice for the Dortmund star.

DO IT!: Bellingham told to play alongside Casemiro for United

"If you put the two teams on a graph, Manchester United are going in one direction and Liverpool have stagnated," said Ferdinand on BBC Radio 5 Live.

"I wouldn't say Liverpool are in decline, but other teams are catching them up and maybe going beyond them.

"If I'm a player, say Bellingham or Rice, and someone says, ‘United or Liverpool, where are you going?', forget my Manchester United ties, I have to go with United right now.

"The way the team looks, the way the squad is shaping up, the way the managers are navigating their teams' fortunes and who I see being more successful in the upcoming future – I really would be sitting on the side of United."

United unlikely to move for Bellingham or Rice

United face off against Liverpool this weekend on the back of their first trophy win under Erik ten Hag and a ten-point gap between them and Jurgen Klopp’s side.

Although Liverpool won the FA Cup and Carabao Cup last season, as well as reaching the Champions League final, the Reds have struggled this season and are six points off the top four.

While United are admirers of Bellingham, the 19-year-old is expected to be out of the club’s price range, with Ten Hag believed to prefer a move for Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong instead.

POTENTIAL: De Jong wants to partner Casemiro in United's midfield

De Jong rejected the chance to join United last summer but he is believed to be more open towards a move this year, however Barcelona are less keen on selling the midfielder now.

United are hoping to sign a partner for Casemiro in midfield as well as a striker and a defender as they look to continue their progress under Ten Hag.