'We should have just paid the money' - Jordan Henderson criticises Liverpool for not signing Jude Bellingham but insists FSG 'always have a plan'

Jordan Henderson believes Liverpool should have just paid the money to get Jude Bellingham but claimed FSG always have a plan.

The former Liverpool skipper revealed that he tried to convince FSG owners to sign Bellingham before Real Madrid prised him away for a whopping €103 million (£89m/$112m) from Borussia Dortmund. The 20-year-old was one of the top targets for the Reds but withdrew from the transfer race due to the costs involved and instead signed Brighton's Alexis Mac Allister for £35 million ($44m) and Dominik Szoboszlai from RB Leipzig for £60m ($76m).

However, after Bellingham's meteoric start to his life at the Santiago Bernabeu with five goals and an assist from just four matches, Henderson wished Liverpool had gone the distance to get the midfielder. They’re not going to go and spend a ridiculous amount of fees and wages on players because it will upset the structure, as much as I tried with certain players in the past! he said to The Athletic.

They stick to their principles and it has worked. Maybe not to the owners but you can probably think of certain players that I might have tried for in the past, especially recently! Looking back now, he’s on fire so (laughing) I might have thought we should have just paid the money!

Nonetheless, Henderson insisted that FSG always have a plan and they are in control of things so that the squad harmony is not disturbed. In the end, they have a structure, they have a plan and if it doesn’t fall within that then they’re not going to change for it. Because it has a knock-on effect, he said.

It’s great to sign these amazing players with loads of wages and it’s amazing for everyone. But in the end, you’ll then have different players coming in wanting different money, you’ve got players within saying, ‘Well, I want…’. It causes loads of different issues within.

They always have a plan, always have a strategy and they know what they’re doing. The most important thing is they care about the club and that’s the biggest thing I would say about them, he added. Henderson will link up with Bellingham during the Three Lions' two upcoming Euro 2024 qualifiers against Ukraine and Scotland on September 8 and 11 respectively.