If a new signing were a midfielder with Jude Bellingham’s numbers, Liverpool supporters would go insane.

Jude Bellingham was not acquired by Liverpool during the summer. It received a tonne of other new things in its place, but another person deserves more consideration.

Considering that Jude Bellingham is still in the picture, it could be very optimistic to believe that Kylian Mbappé’s rumoured transfer to Real Madrid will fully sever ties with Liverpool. Even when a transfer transcends the bounds of credibility, the what-might-have-been still has an impact.

With Bellingham, this is especially evident because Liverpool appeared to have a real chance of closing the deal. Mbappé has been a pipe dream since virtually the very beginning, but there was real shock when the first rumours circulated that the Reds were no longer the front-runners for Borussia Dortmund’s midfield gem.

It made Liverpool somewhat of a rod for their back. It was inevitable that every new signing would be compared to Bellingham, and every setback would probably be examined through the lens of whether he could have prevented it.

Thankfully, there haven’t been many setbacks, and the new recruits have done a fantastic job settling in at Liverpool. It’s especially fortunate that Dominik Szoboszlai had such a turbulent first few months because it helped the Reds weather the worst of any Bellingham drama. Fortunately, he has now calmed down a little.

Nevertheless, the desire for a star turn is returning as the January transfer window opens. To be honest, there was more to Bellingham’s attractiveness for many Liverpool supporters than just his on-field accomplishments. It was the lure of having a true superstar at Anfield.

In 2020, supporters received Thiago, which was a significant divergence from the customary transfer procedure. That was extremely thrilling, but reality has since set in: due to his age and injury history, which combined seem destined to mean the end of his time at Anfield when his current contract expires, he may be able to be accommodated within the FSG financial framework (although somewhat).

Bellingham would have been an outstanding operator with much greater potential, a fresh frontier once more. This transfer window’s links to Mbappé demonstrate that desire is still present.

However, Liverpool may respond to Bellingham somewhat even if they choose not to purchase a player. It will never appear nearly as spectacular because of the character of many followers, but the Reds are quietly producing a superstar.

94th percentile for non-penalty goals during the previous year. Helps? 91% of the total. a 98th percentile pass completion rate, but not just by being cautious; progressive passes and carries are both significantly higher in the 90th percentile than the average. Tackles made off the ball are in the 82nd percentile. There would be an unprecedented level of enthusiasm if Liverpool signed Curtis Jones right away.

All of those FBref stats are contrasted with those of other midfield players in the top five leagues in Europe. According to his biography, Jones is the type of player that excels at every facet of the central midfield position, which is precisely what attracted people to Bellingham.

Since then, he has significantly increased his goal totals at Real Madrid thanks to Carlo Ancelotti’s decision to play him higher up the pitch. However, there are still a lot of similarities, as Jones ranks in Bellingham’s top 10 using the FBref player comparison tool.

Surprisingly, he is just the fifth player at Liverpool who is most similar to Bellingham; the top four are secured by Szoboszlai, Harvey Elliott, Ryan Gravenberch, and Alexis Mac Allister. That explains a lot about the Reds’ summertime shift in their recruiting strategies.

However, Jones may provide the closest equivalent in terms of providing the same kind of all-around midfield profile that Liverpool was so eager to acquire in Bellingham. After being on the outskirts for so long, he’s become quite famous almost by stealth, yet everything seems to have come together quite nicely.

His profile will rise as he establishes himself as a consistent starter, drawing praise from Liverpool supporters as well as other observers. An England cap is undoubtedly in the works, which might pave the way for Bellingham and him to form a midfield combination. But although January transfer rumours persist, it’s important to keep in mind the enormous quality the team has developed without paying a dime.