Jobe Bellingham continues to be at the centre of widespread transfer speculation

Former Sunderland midfielder Jason McAteer has claimed that the “big boys will come knocking” to sign Jobe Bellingham in the summer transfer window if the Black Cats fail to win promotion to the Premier League this season.

The teenage starlet has established himself as a key presence in Regis Le Bris’ starting XI this term, with the Frenchman still yet to win a game in English football without Bellingham in his side.

Indeed, the England U21 international has been performing at such a level that he has emerged as a reported target for a number of high profile suitors in recent months, with the likes of Manchester United, Arsenal, and Tottenham Hotspur all touted as admirers. From further afield, Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund - current and former employers of Bellingham’s elder brother Jude - are also said to be monitoring his situation.

And addressing the prospect of the midfielder leaving the Stadium of Light in an interview with 10bet, McAteer admitted that much could hinge on which division Sunderland are playing their football in next season. The ex-Republic of Ireland international said: “He's grabbed himself a few goals and he's played about 28 games this season. For a 19-year-old to play that amount of times in the Championship where it's a very difficult league, he's learning a lot from being in that division.

“Having played there, I know what he's going through. It's very difficult to live in the shadow of Jude Bellingham. The golden boy of English football playing for Real Madrid. He's an absolute star… To try and follow in his footsteps is very difficult. The family are very grounded and level-headed. He comes from a great background.

“He's at the right football club and it's a brilliant football club. Amazing fan base. Great place to live. They’re in fourth, a few points behind Burnley, within touching distance of Leeds. “They could actually go up automatically. And that fan base will get behind them. You can only imagine if Sunderland don't go up then I think the big boys will come knocking next season.”

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At the time of writing, Sunderland find themselves fourth in the Championship table, eight points adrift of the automatic promotion places having lost to Leeds United at Elland Road on Monday evening. The Black Cats are, however, 15 points clear of seventh with 13 games left to play this season, and barring a late capitulation, look destined for a top six finish at the very least.

McAteer’s comments on Bellingham echo those of fellow pundit Ally McCoist. Quizzed on whether Bellingham is destined to leave Wearside if his former club misses out on promotion over the coming months, the Scot told GOAL, via talkSPORT BET : “Sadly for my fellow Mackems, I think so. He’s been great. I watch their games every week and he’s been great. They have been fabulous. I’m not ruling out automatic promotion, I’m really not.

“The league is one of my favourites in world football because it’s relentless. A lot of respect for the players and teams in that league. I think Sunderland have still got a chance of automatic promotion. I think such is the form of Jobe, it will be very difficult to knock back any concrete and acceptable offers that come in.”

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