Clicking noise from the engine or belt system on ARL TDI, COMPLETELY LOST

Hello fellow DIY enthusiasts,
I've noticed a worrying noise coming from my TDI (engine code ARL, 62TSD km).
It's a mechanical, very metallic clicking sound, coming from the engine compartment, but it's difficult to pinpoint due to the high overall noise level. When standing in front of the vehicle with the hood closed, it seems to be coming from the passenger side, towards the belt drive (timing belt or tensioner for the power steering pump). However, when the hood is open, I also hear something in the direction of the valve cover or the fuel injection pump. During driving, you can sometimes hear it, but it's gone or, at least for me, not audible during strong acceleration. I've already searched in this forum and came across topics like "crankshaft bearing damage," which I certainly hope isn't the case.
"Otherwise, I have no issues with the engine, meaning no loss of power, no excessive smoke, and no oil consumption. The last oil change was about 3000 km ago, and long-life oil was used according to VW specifications. Do you have any ideas about what else I can check (would a compression test be useful? what does that cost)? How would a bearing failure or a worn connecting rod manifest itself? Is it safe to continue driving the car?" I had just replaced the power steering pump a short time before (about 100 km ago), but I didn't notice any unusual noises immediately after the replacement. I also didn't adjust the belt tension, and the "pulley" wasn't replaced either.
Hoping for your help. Is it possible to diagnose or log any further information using the VAG Comm tool (which I already have)?

Hi, does anyone have any ideas? I've checked again, and I think it's coming from the serpentine belt, or rather, the tensioner pulley. I'm going to remove the belt later and let the car run for a minute to see if it's coming from there. I hope it's not the water pump or something similar. Does the tensioner pulley often fail on PD-TDIs? Do you have any idea how much it costs to replace? Should the belt also be replaced at the same time?