“I'm a huge fan of Mount, he's a top-class player. He's not playing at the moment because of his contract situation. With the size of the squad, they aren't going to select a player who won't sign a new contract.”

The Athletic have claimed that it has become increasingly unlikely that Bellingham will move to Liverpool in the summer, as they are unlikely to be able to match the financial firepower of rival bidders. Real Madrid, Manchester City and Manchester United are said to be among the teams vying for his signature for a fee upwards of £100million.

Mount, however, may be more of a realistic target for Liverpool as he appears to be no closer to signing a new contract at Stamford Bridge and could be available in the summer. The England international would fit Klopp’s high-pressing style of play and would cost around half the price of Bellingham.