Liverpool have last laugh over Jude Bellingham after Ballon d’Or announcement
Liverpool were desperate to sign Jude Bellingham in 2023 before his move to Real Madrid, but they may have had the last laugh.
Bellingham was constantly linked with Liverpool before a big-money move to the Bernabeu, and Jurgen Klopp was frustrated not to land him.
The England International has performed superbly at Real Madrid, with Trent Alexander-Arnold and Xabi Alonso since joining him in the Spanish capital.
Liverpool have also thrived since, winning the Premier League last season, and the new Ballon d’Or rankings shows that they arguably signed an even better player.
Alexis Mac Allister above Jude Bellingham in Ballon d’Or
After the disappointment of missing out on Bellingham, Liverpool ended up signing four midfielders in that summer transfer window.
Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister, Wataru Endo and Ryan Gravenberch all joined in a complete revamp in the middle of the park, for a total outlay of around £150 million.
Bellingham’s move to Real Madrid cost around £88.5m initially, which could rise to £115m based on add-ons.
| Stat | Mac Allister | Bellingham |
| Appearances | 101 | 101 |
| Goals | 14 | 38 |
| Assists | 14 | 28 |
| Fee | £35m | £88.5m |
| Ballon d’Or ranking | 22nd | 23rd |
All of Liverpool’s four options are popular, and Mac Allister has particularly impressed, with the Argentina star now above Bellingham in the Ballon d’Or rankings.
Bellingham does play a more advanced role, meaning that he would naturally have a better goal and assist output, but Mac Allister plays a vital deeper role under Arne Slot.
Mac Allister finished in 22nd place, one place above Bellingham in 23rd, and with the Real Madrid star winning nothing last season, it’s safe to say Liverpool had the last laugh.
Liverpool benefitted from Jude Bellingham snub
While Bellingham is a top-class midfielder who could have thrived at Liverpool, the departures of Fabinho and Jordan Henderson meant that the Reds were in need of a major rebuild in the middle.
A huge outlay on just one player would not have solved their problems at the time, and they have reaped the rewards since, with Mac Allister shining, and Florian Wirtz joining for a huge fee as a superstar midfielder.
Liverpool certainly got a better deal with the four incomings, and Mac Allister joining for a bargain initial fee of £35m was more beneficial in the long-term than a huge money deal for Bellingham would have been.
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