Liverpool believe that Manchester City signing Kalvin Phillips will put them in pole position to land Jude Bellingham next summer.

Having already sanctioned moves for Fabio Carvalho, Calvin Ramsay and Darwin Nunez, Jurgen Klopp’s summer of incoming business looks to have been completed. A new striker always promised to be at the top of the Reds’ summer wishlist, particularly after Sadio Mane outlined his desire to leave.

And the deal - which could become a club record - for Nunez was completed before Mane’s Bayern Munich switch ensuring the smoothest possible transition. That could be that in terms of arrivals as Klopp’s charges look to go one better in the hunt for Premier League and Champions League honours.

But thoughts are already turning to the summer window in 2023 where Bellingham is likely to feature prominently. The Liverpool boss is preparing to evolve his options in midfield and the Borussia Dortmund superstar fits the bill perfectly.

Mirror Football reported earlier this month that Klopp was willing to wait to land the 18-year-old, having enjoyed a meteoric rise since making his Birmingham City debut less than three years ago.

Dortmund have already made it clear that they have no intention of selling the England international this summer, having already allowed his team-mate Erling Haaland to depart for the Premier League champions City. However, there is an expectation that the Germans could be more conducive to potential bids next summer, as has been the case in the past with the likes of Haaland and Jadon Sancho.

City are also said to be monitoring Bellingham’s situation, but their imminent capture of Kalvin Phillips has Anfield bosses confident they will win the race, the Sun reports. Leeds skipper Phillips is closing in on a move to the Etihad after seeing a £45million bid accepted by the Whites.

He now looks set to battle with Rodri for a starting berth in Pep Guardiola’s starting XI, meaning Bellingham could face a fight for regular football - something that should be on offer more readily on Merseyside.

Bellingham, who left Blues in the summer of 2020, has refused to comment on any speculation, insisting he is merely focusing on his own development as a player. He told The Times: "You kind of make it up as you go along. I’m in control of my own destiny, I suppose, and my own development if I put the work in."