Dortmund-linked Sunderland man Jobe Bellingham hits back at ex-pros on Sky Sports after promotion

Jobe Bellingham delivered a defiant response to critics following Sunderland’s dramatic 2-1 victory over Sheffield United in the Championship play-off final at Wembley.

Bellingham, just 19 years old, played a key role in Sunderland’s promotion-winning campaign and took the opportunity to respond to the widespread doubts surrounding the young Black Cats squad, especially from some pundits on Sky Sports.

“I always believe. I always believe. You have to believe,” Bellingham told reporters on the pitch post-match. “When you've got supporters like this and a group of lads like that, you have to believe. I don't know what to say to you. But yeah, I always believe.”

Jobe then addressed the criticism aimed at Sunderland’s perceived lack of experience. “I know people doubted us, and that's understandable. We lost a few games. People talk about momentum,” he said. “But I think we did enough and we showed enough throughout the season for people to at least give us some credit going into the playoffs.

"And I know there's the typical art with 'inexperience' by all the ex-pros who speak on Sky. But we've just proved that that don't matter. Do you know what I mean? You need experience, of course. But with youth, like at Sunderland, you play loads of games. You get that experience. You get experience by failing. And we failed together so many times.” The teenager, who has quickly become a fan favourite, underlined just how far the squad has come this season: “I've been part of this great team. Every single player has made a name for themselves here. So yeah, really proud.”

Bellingham’s performance at Wembley has only intensified speculation about his future. German giants Borussia Dortmund are reportedly preparing a move worth around €30million (£25million), with leading German outlet Bild claiming the club could finalise a deal this week. The Bundesliga side are said to view Bellingham as a long-term replacement for Julian Brandt or even his older brother Jude, now at Real Madrid.

While Sunderland fans are still revelling in their club’s return to the Premier League after an eight-year absence, Bellingham’s future remains one of the biggest questions heading into the summer.

What did Bild’s transfer report say about Jobe Bellingham and Dortmund?

Borussia Dortmund are said to be closing in on the signing of Sunderland midfielder Jobe Bellingham, with German outlet BILD reporting that the 19-year-old could give the green light to a move as early as this week.

According to the report, negotiations between Dortmund and the Bellingham camp have progressed well, and the Bundesliga giants are now prepared to pay a transfer fee in the region of €30million (£25million) to secure the highly rated England youth international.

While no official agreement has yet been reached, BILD’s report suggests that a deal is edging closer, and that Dortmund’s plans for the player include immediate integration into the first-team squad. Bellingham's rapid development this season under both Tony Mowbray and Régis Le Bris has caught the attention of several European clubs, but Dortmund’s track record in nurturing young English talent, particularly in the case of his brother, could prove decisive.

Sunderland, who will be playing top-flight football next season for the first time since 2017, would ideally like to keep the player at the club following the Wembley win against Sheffield United. The club’s promotion and strong dressing-room culture could yet factor into the teenager’s final decision. However, with interest now intensifying and the financial package on offer potentially difficult to ignore, the Black Cats may soon face a fight to keep hold of one of the brightest young midfielders in the country.

Has Jobe Bellingham said anything on social media?

Following Sunderland’s victory over Sheffield United, Jobe Bellingham shared a series of cryptic posts on Instagram, including one particularly striking message captioned “Job finished.” The post quickly drew attention and reactions from across the football world, including from Sunderland supporters and teammates. Former Black Cats captain Jordan Henderson responded with several heart emojis, adding to the intrigue. Later that Sunday afternoon, Bellingham reposted an old quote from when he signed a new contract with the club last summer, further fuelling speculation about his future.

At the time, he posted: “I’m buzzing to sign this contract and extend my stay at Sunderland. I feel like I have a lot of unfinished business and I believe we can achieve some great things this season. This is such an amazing city and I’m so proud to represent the people within it. Everyone has made me feel right at home and I couldn’t imagine playing for a Club where it didn’t mean as much as it does to our fans. I enjoy playing for Sunderland and I can’t wait to get back to the Stadium of Light this weekend.”

Kristjaan Speakman added: “Jobe has fully immersed himself in Sunderland since day one and he has a clear affection for the area and the supporters. We always planned to extend his initial contract, but when a player performs so well in their breakthrough season, it is only natural for other opportunities to arise. Despite this, Jobe has been consistent that Sunderland is where he wants to be and his desire to remain at the Club is a big boost for us heading into our first home game.”

What Régis Le Bris said about Sunderland’s stunning win

“It's a fantastic scenario for us, again,” Le Bris said. “Like the semi-final, just absolutely fantastic. Tough for the coaches and fans probably but again we showed strong character. Even when we were not dominant, even when we have struggled as a squad, we stay connected and stick to our plan. Then later in the game, you feel that maybe can change the momentum. This was the case today.

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“We lost Luke early, and a substitution too. At the same time, I was comfortable to make this sub because we knew Meps was ready. He has been really impressive this season, as a player but also as a person and as a pro. When he came out of the team ahead of the semi finals, he told me, 'I will stay connected with the group, don't worry'. He showed today that this behaviour was really important for the squad. We switched him with Ballard because they targeted this side with Kieffer Moore, so we managed this.”

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