James Copley: I don't think £30m Sunderland transfer exit will happen despite fresh Dortmund links
James Copley delivers his verdict the £30million transfer interest Jobe Bellingham is attracting...
In news that will shock absolutely nobody, Sunderland prodigy Jobe Bellingham has been linked with two German clubs.
Yes, Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen are the latest duo to reportedly hold an interest in the teenager during the January window. They join an impressive list which includes Real Madrid, Crystal Palace, Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United and Arsenal amongst many others.
If anything, the chatter surrounding the 19-year-old is a compliment. He was perhaps a little under par against Plymouth Argyle at the Stadium of Light in the Championship on Saturday as Régis Le Bris’ side slipped up against the league’s bottom side, but generally, the midfielder has been sublime this season.
It is easy to see why so many big clubs are interested in Jobe, and why, in some cases, the fee being thrown around is often around the £30million mark. He is physical, he has quality, his statistics are up there with the leading players in the Championship in some cases, he can assist, he can score, he is English, and he is young enough to still have room to grow, making him one of the brightest prospects in world football.
This means that, as Sunderland fans, we should probably resign ourselves to losing Jobe at some point unless the club can miraculously become a force in the Premier League and qualify for Europe in the next 12 to 18 months, which seems unlikely even if promotion is won this season under Le Bris. In my opinion, it is an enjoy him while we can situation, and there’s nothing wrong with that.
The links to Germany, particularly Dortmund, are perhaps a little cause for concern given the Bellingham family’s close ties there after the cub helped springboard the career of brother Jude before his eventual move to Real Madrid under legendary head coach Carlo Ancelotti. But Jobe and Jude’s camp are also famously level-headed; they will have a clear plan for the younger brother, and I don’t see why that would involve leaving in January.
It is for that reason, despite the noise, that I genuinely don’t think Jobe will depart Sunderland during the current window. The Wearsiders are competing at the top end of the Championship, and the attacking midfielder is playing every game. He seems to care about his teammates and the fans, both of whom he references regularly in social media posts. I get the impression that Jobe is happy here, at the very least, until the end of the season.
There may well be interest, and there well may be bids, but all of the noise currently appears to be coming from the aforementioned clubs. I’ve yet to see anything from Jobe’s camp to concern Sunderland fans and it is always worth noting that he signed a new deal just last summer.
Big money, of course, can change everything when it comes to football transfers and serious, serious cash could force Sunderland into a decision they do not want to make. However, if I were to nail my colours to the mast, I would be surprised if that happened before the winter transfer deadline. The summer could be a different story altogether, even if Sunderland are promoted.