Liverpool "consider themselves frontrunners" to sign Borussia Dortmund star Jude Bellingham, CBS reporter Ben Jacobs has told GIVEMESPORT.

Jurgen Klopp's side fell to a chastening 3-1 defeat to Brentford in the Premier League on Monday night, and with the January transfer window now open, attentions will switch to who else might join Cody Gakpo this month.

GiveMeSport Transfer Update

Liverpool Transfer News - Jude Bellingham

According to Sky Sports back in early December, the Reds had made signing the England star their main priority for the summer transfer window, with Klopp said to be pushing hard for the deal.

That was then followed up by comments from the Liverpool manager himself, who laughed off suggestions that the club could instead look to move for Bellingham this month.

He said: "In January? I'm the wrong person to answer that. January, in our situation, is a window from a sports side we are always prepared, it's always clear what kind of ideas we have or how the necessity is from our point of view."

What did Ben Jacobs say about Liverpool's move for Bellingham?

Now, Jacobs has indicated that Liverpool's extensive groundwork in trying to put together a move for the England star has seen them grow in confidence about pulling it off.

He said: "Right now because Liverpool have done so much to assure the family that there's a plan, and because Jurgen Klopp has been involved and players have been involved, and because Liverpool are prepared to pay big and strike a deal from a club to club sense, I believe that Liverpool consider themselves frontrunners."

Jurgen Klopp needs Jude Bellingham at Liverpool

While Jamie Carragher on Sky Sports punditry duty was quick to insist that Bellingham alone would not be enough to solve Liverpool's midfield problems, the England international sure would go a long way to addressing the side's need for some dynamism in the engine room.

As per Whoscored, his average of 3.2 tackles per game in the Bundesliga this season ranks him third in the entire division, while his 2.1 shots per match is good enough to put him in the top 20 - the exact kind of all-action, all-purpose midfielder that Liverpool seem to be lacking at the moment.

Not only did Bellingham showcase his impressive knack of getting into the box and scoring goals like he did for England at the World Cup, but the 19-year-old's ability to get back and help protect the defence would take some of the defensive burden off Fabinho's shoulders at Anfield.

The 22-cap star would be a real statement signing for Liverpool whether in January or in the summer transfer window.

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