Jude Bellingham reacts as Jobe makes first Dortmund appearance since Sunderland exit
Sunderland’s transfer window has been dominated so far by the saga surrounding Jobe Bellingham’s future.
The 19-year-old had been linked with several of Europe’s biggest clubs in recent months, but eventually settled on a move to Borussia Dortmund, just as his older brother had before him.
Negotiations between the two clubs were long and drawn out, but Sunderland eventually secured a deal which made it worthwhile for them financially.
Their attention will now turn towards securing a replacement for the youngster, and also bolstering the squad across the board. The hope will be that Bellingham’s sale is enough to effectively single-handedly provide the upgrades that are needed to assemble a team capable of beating the drop.
Jude Bellingham reacts as Jobe makes debut
Bellingham has built quite a reputation for himself during his time at the Stadium of Light.
He was a hugely influential figure in Regis Le Bris’ side’s promotion last season, and he was rewarded for a season of impressive displays by being handed the Championship’s Young Player of the Year award at the conclusion of the campaign.
As a result, there will be even more eyes on him than ever before as he takes his first steps with the German giants. There is no bigger step than making your debut for a new club, and Bellingham got that out of the way on Tuesday (17 June), when he came off the bench in the 63rd minute of Dortmund’s Club World Cup clash with Fluminense.
The game ended in a 0-0 draw, and Dortmund posted photos of the youngster being introduced from the sidelines. His brother Jude has since liked the post, effectively giving it his seal of approval.
The Bellingham money could make or break Sunderland
It is becoming increasingly difficult for newly-promoted sides to consolidate their place in the Premier League, and it’s hard to shake the feeling that Sunderland’s fate could be decided by the way in which they spend the £27million from the Bellingham sale.
| Apps | Goals | Assists |
| 90 | 11 | 4 |
There was undoubtedly no point in keeping the midfielder around once he had set his heart on a move to Dortmund, but there can be no disputing that the Mackems have lost a player who was ready to immediately make a big impact in the Premier League.
If the North East outfit but the cash to good use, then it should be enough to fund at least one addition of proven Premier League quality, something which can often be paramount to any team’s chances of survival.
However, if they reinvest that money carelessly, and bring in players who fail to deliver as the club would have expected, and Sunderland will quickly be wishing they never signed off on their young star’s move.