West Ham eye Jobe Bellingham transfer amid shock £25m Sunderland exit news
West Ham are still looking to sign Sunderland star Jobe Bellingham this summer, despite his promotion to the Premier League.
Bellingham has been in talks with multiple Bundesliga clubs in recent days after the Wembley final, with Premier League clubs waiting in the wings.
The England under-21 international’s future is in doubt despite the Mackems’ 2-1 win over Sheffield United ending their seven-year break from the top flight.
West Ham keen on Bellingham if Bundesliga move falls through
In a surprise move, Bellingham is expected to leave Sunderland, just days after the Mackems were promoted to the top flight.
The Daily Mirror has reported in its print edition (27 May, pg 53) that West Ham and Crystal Palace are keen on a move for the England under-21 international.
The youngster is, however, still expected to make a move to Germany, with three Bundesliga clubs interested.
Bellingham flew out to Germany on Monday for talks with Eintracht Frankfurt, having already spoken to Borussia Dortmund officials.
RB Leipzig are also expected to meet the 19-year-old before he decides on his next club.
The Black Cats value Bellingham at £25 million, with Bundesliga clubs ready to match that fee already.
Bellingham fee could go long way for Sunderland
While they would be losing one of their best players, the £25million fee for Bellingham could go a long way for Regis Le Bris’ side, but that still won’t make him happy.
Despite Premier League interest, Jobe is expected to follow in the footsteps of brother Jude and continue his development in Germany.
The Black Cats already look set for a busy transfer window, and with a tough campaign ahead of them, smart recruitment is crucial as they look to avoid the fate of the promoted teams from last season.
Profit from Bellingham’s sale will add to the money made from the Mackems’ play-off win and could give them a head start in the transfer window compared to the other promoted sides.
Sunderland will want to avoid replicating their double relegation from the 2016/17 and 2017/18 seasons, but will need to navigate the tricky waters of PSR.
Despite the assumption that teams who are relegated from the Premier League often go straight back up, Luton showed that the threat of double relegation is still there.