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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Sport
Hannah Pinnock

'We haven't seen' - Rio Ferdinand makes Steven Gerrard and Jude Bellingham claim amid Liverpool rumours

Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has praised Liverpool target Jude Bellingham and says the likes of Steven Gerrard, Paul Scholes and Frank Lampard weren't doing what the 19-year-old is doing at that age.

The Borussia Dortmund midfielder was on the scoresheet in a 4-1 victory over Sevilla in the Champions League on Wednesday night. Bellingham also became the third-youngest player to captain a side in the competition behind Ruben Neves and Matthijs de Ligt.

Ferdinand, who made over 450 appearances for United during his playing days, says 'we haven't seen' what Bellingham is achieving in football as a midfielder at his age before.

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"What he's doing in his position at his age, we haven't seen," the pundit told BT Sport. "The best of our generation, Gerrard, Lampard, Scholes, them guys...Viera, Roy Keane, they weren't doing this.

"He still has to go on and prove it over a long period of time but they were not doing what he is doing right now, influencing games at this level, captaining a team at this level, he is the full package. Mentally, this kid's a beast, no doubts about him."

Bellingham has become one of the most sought after talents in the game in recent years following his rapid rise at Dortmund since his arrival from Birmingham City in 2020. He's already reached a century of appearances for the Bundesliga club and scored 14 goals with 20 assists in all competitions so far.

The likes of Liverpool, United, Manchester City, Real Madrid and Chelsea are expected to battle it out for his signature if and when he decides to move on from Germany. Some reports suggest it could take up to €150million to land him, while it's no surprise it has also been suggested Dortmund are hopeful of tying their star down to another long-term contract.

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