Mount, Caicedo or Mac Allister? Liverpool's BEST Bellingham alternative revealed

Robin Bairner

• 13 Apr 2023 11:19 BST
• 3 min read

Liverpool have given up their pursuit of Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham in an early blow to Jurgen Klopp’s transfer plans.

Bellingham was always going to be a tricky player for the Reds to land, particularly off the back of this difficult campaign that is unlikely to result in Champions League qualification next season. Interest from Real Madrid and Manchester City complicated any transfer.

With this in mind, Liverpool will have spent the last season monitoring other targets, but who are the players best suited to Jurgen Klopp’s project.

In conjunction with data analytics experts SciSports, FootballTransfers examine who the best alternatives to Bellingham at Liverpool are – although it’s worth noting that Liverpool are not necessarily moving or monitoring each of these players.

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Best Bellingham alternatives

First, the bad news. There is no player in the world that has the complete skillset that Bellingham boasts. He can do a bit of everything at a very good level, has a physical presence and can contribute defensively, while he is also able to progress the ball through passing and dribbling and contributes at the sharp end of the pitch with goals and assists.

There simply isn’t another player who is available for less money who can do all of the above. So Klopp is going to have to compromise.

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Defensive alternatives

If Liverpool want a player who is defensively sound, Brighton’s Moises Caicedo ticks the box. The Ecuador international is a player that the Reds have taken an interest in.

He is very tidy in possession, and offers progression and build-up with his great passing numbers. He also provides physicality.

Where he is weaker than Bellingham, though, is in terms of his dribbling and decisive contribution both by way of goals and assists.

Attacking alternatives

A more attacking option than Caicedo is Inter’s Nicolo Barela. A strong passer who has a high chance production, he is a good dribbler and offers excellent offensive production, with more goals and assists per 90 than Bellingham.

Similarly, Mason Mount and Calum Gallagher are producing impressive offensive numbers and outperforming Bellingham in a number of key attacking metrics this season. Mount, of course, is a player who has been closely linked with Liverpool for a number of weeks as his contract wrangle with Chelsea goes on.

Balanced alternatives

Brighton’s Alexis Mac Allister is a well-rounded option who could offer some of the same qualities as Bellingham, while Monaco’s France midfielder Youssouf Fofana is another who could perform some of the same duties and with an Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) of just €27.8m would provide a significantly cheaper option.