Borussia Dortmund sporting director Sebastian Kehl has doubled down on Jude Bellingham's future ensuring his focus remains in Germany following Liverpool links.
The Reds are among a number of European clubs vying for the 19-year-old's signature in the summer. Bellingham has been a standout performer for Dortmund this season, as well as at the World Cup with England, as Edin Terzic's side push to end their wait to regain their Bundesliga crown.
Liverpool are said to be facing competition from Real Madrid and Manchester City for the midfielder's signature with a fee north of £100m being touted. Speculation surrounding the England international continues to grow as questions are repeatedly fielded to the Dortmund hierarchy, coaches and players.
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"This is the big thing at the moment, of course, he still has a contract and he is very focused on football," Kehl told BT Sport prior to their Champions League second leg against Chelsea. "He’s very focused on Borussia Dortmund and this team - we’re happy to have him."
It isn't the first time that the former Yellows midfielder has been forced to speak out on the future of one of their prized possessions. Last month, he revealed that it would be "wishful thinking" to think that the Bundesliga title-chasers can keep Birmingham City's youngest-ever player.
"There has been no new development," said the 43-year-old regarding negotiations. "We'll have to be patient for a little longer.
"But of course we try to keep Jude Bellingham at Borussia Dortmund as long as possible because he is an incredibly important player who has shown once again this season how he identifies with this club and makes the team better.
"Things develop due to market mechanisms. So of course I have my thoughts and also have my wishful thinking," he added. "I can't say whether that will happen in the end.
"From Borussia Dortmund's point of view, the wishful thinking would be to keep a player of this quality at this club for as long as possible. I would also like to have kept Erling Haaland or Jadon Sancho at Borussia Dortmund, because you can only imagine if we had managed to keep all three players in one team, what opportunities would then arise.
"We will always try everything to keep players of this quality at BVB - because we are ambitious, because we want to win titles. For this we need not only good, but also outstanding players."
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