Chelsea showing strongest transfer interest in Sunderland star as Gary Bennett hails 'smashing' Black Cat

Sunderland secured their spot in the Championship play-offs with five matches left to play on Tuesday evening when they drew 0-0 with Norwich City at Carrow Road.

But despite their fate being sealed at this unusually early point in the campaign, there is still plenty to play for - and discuss - on Wearside between now and the end of the season. With that in mind, here are a couple of the stories that you might have missed from the past day or two...

Chelsea showing “strongest interest” in Jobe Bellingham

Premier League giants Chelsea are currently showing the “strongest interest” in a potential summer swoop for Sunderland midfielder Jobe Bellingham, according to reports.

The Black Cats starlet has emerged as a key player for Regis Le Bris’ side in recent times, and has subsequently been linked with a number of high profile suitors, including the likes of Manchester United, Arsenal, Tottenham, Brighton, Crystal Palace, Borussia Dortmund, and Bayer Leverkusen.

But as per an update from Caught Offside, it is in fact Chelsea who are pushing hardest to sign the teenager at the time of writing, with the Blues said to be “eager to continue their policy of snapping up the best young talents in world football”. For his part, Bellingham was absent from Sunderland’s 0-0 draw with Norwich City on Tuesday evening, but Black Cats head coach Regis Le Bris has been quick to dispel any concerns over his long-term fitness, stating: "Jobe is okay. He has a minor ankle injury, nothing serious. It was a good opportunity to give him a rest. We'll need freshness for the end of the season so if it's possible to manage the squad with one game, one game and a half a week for them, it will be better.”

The Echo has launched a new WhatsApp SAFC Channel to bring the latest news, analysis and team & injury updates direct to your phone. Simply click this link to join our SAFC WhatsApp channel.

Gary Bennett hails Enzo Le Fée impact

Elsewhere, Sunderland legend Gary Bennett has hailed the impact of Enzo Le Fée during Tuesday’s trip to Carrow Road, suggesting that the Frenchman is a “smashing” footballer.

Le Fée spent a notable period of time on the treatment table prior to the international break after sustaining a hamstring complaint during a defeat to Hull City back in February. The AS Roma loanee made his comeback in Saturday’s 1-0 victory over West Brom with a 19-minute cameo from the bench, and stepped up his recovery with a similar appearance against Norwich.

And despite the game ending in stalemate, Bennett was still suitably impressed with what he saw. Speaking after the match, the pundit said: “If you said, would you’ve taken a point before a ball was kicked, you would’ve said yes, especially with the changes we made. Okay, it wasn’t the best 45 minutes for Sunderland but when we did make them changes you did see the quality which we’ve got. Le Fée is a smashing player, and he tried to pick out Wilson Isidor with a great pass and all of a sudden we came to life.”

Your next Sunderland read: Phil Smith's Sunderland player rating photos with standout 8 but lots of 5s in Norwich draw - gallery