Sunderland now in advanced negotiations as Jobe turns down offers elsewhere
Sunderland impressed everyone with their relentless Championship campaign last season.
The Black Cats ultimately came from behind to defeat Chris Wilder’s Sheffield United in the play-off final, with a stoppage-time goal from outgoing star Tommy Watson sending the North East outfit back to the top flight for the first time since 2017.
Regis Le Bris’ side was the second-youngest squad in the division, and there is huge excitement surrounding several of their young stars, such as Chris Rigg, Jobe Bellingham, and Eliezer Mayenda.
Their ability to keep hold of their talented youngsters this summer is going to be crucial to how they fare on their Premier League return next term.
Bellingham is in advanced negotiations with Borussia Dortmund
The younger Bellingham brother has been the subject of plenty of transfer speculation throughout last season, and that has only heated up further since the conclusion of the campaign.
The 19-year-old has been chased by some of the top clubs in both England and Germany, but Borussia Dortmund have reportedly now won the race for his signature.
Bellingham will turn down advances from the likes of Eintracht Frankfurt and RB Leipzig, with a move to Signal Iduna Park his preferred destination, according to Sky Sports’ Keith Downie (3 June).
He reports that Sunderland are in advanced negotiations with the German giants, with the deal understood to be around £25million, including add-ons.
The Mackems did have a release clause in Bellingham’s contract, allowing the midfielder to leave the club if a bid in excess of £33.75m was received. However, it is now understood that the two clubs have reached a gentleman’s agreement to complete the deal for a lower fee.
Dortmund will surely be a good move for Bellingham
There has been plenty of speculation over the last few months as to which club would suit Bellingham best for the next stage of his development.
His performances have shown that he is ready for a big move, but with the Stadium of Light now set to play host to top-flight football once again next season, many would have hoped that would be enough to tempt him to stay.
However, in Dortmund, Bellingham has chosen an excellent option.
The argument that he should avoid following in the footsteps of his older brother in order to carve out his own reputation is certainly a valid one, but BVB’s track record of nurturing young talent is outstanding.
Jadon Sancho was another English youngster to excel in yellow and black, while 20-year-old winger Jamie Bynoe-Gittens continues to make a name for himself in front of ‘the yellow wall’. Erling Haaland also enjoyed a goal-laden spell in their colours before his move to Manchester City.
Bellingham will likely be capable of stepping straight in to play a relatively prominent role in Niko Kovac’s side and, as has been proven by several stars before him, Dortmund can be the perfect club to help a player progress towards a truly massive move.