Sunderland could benefit from Jobe Bellingham transfer twist amid Manchester United interest

Sunderland will be keeping a very close eye on Jobe Bellingham’s future after the former Black Cats midfielder was linked with Manchester United.

Bellingham left Sunderland for Borussia Dortmund last summer in a deal reportedly worth £27.8million plus £4.2million in add-ons, making it the highest transfer fee ever received by a newly promoted Premier League club. The midfielder signed a five-year deal with the Bundesliga giants after playing a major role in Sunderland’s promotion-winning campaign.

Manchester United link emerges with Sunderland watching

According to TEAMtalk, Bellingham has once again emerged on Manchester United’s radar ahead of the summer transfer window. The report claims United are monitoring a number of midfield options, with Brighton’s Carlos Baleba and Atalanta’s Ederson said to be among the leading names on their shortlist.

Bellingham is also named as one of several players United have done work on, alongside Elliott Anderson, Sandro Tonali, Adam Wharton, Noah Sadiki, Matheus Fernandes and Alex Scott. Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain are also credited with interest in Bellingham’s progress, as they have been since his Birmingham City days.

Sunderland also included a 15 per cent sell-on clause in the deal last summer, meaning any future transfer involving Bellingham could potentially bring another financial boost to the Stadium of Light.

How much Sunderland could receive

A 15 per cent sell-on clause could be significant if Bellingham moves again, although the exact payment would depend on how the clause is structured. Some sell-ons apply to the full future transfer fee, while others apply only to profit made above the original fee.

If calculated on the full transfer fee, Sunderland would receive:

• A £20million deal would be worth £3million.
• A £25million deal would be worth £3.75million
• A £30million deal would be worth £4.5million
• A £35million deal would be worth £5.25million
• A £40million deal would be worth £6million
• A £50million deal would be worth £7.5million
• A £60million deal would be worth £9million

If the clause applies only to profit, the figure would be lower and would depend on the final fee Dortmund receive compared to what they paid Sunderland.

Bellingham’s Dortmund progress

Bellingham’s move to Dortmund was always viewed as a major success for Sunderland’s model. The club identified a young player with elite potential, developed him across two seasons, won promotion with him in the side and then secured a huge fee. His development at Dortmund has continued to gather pace. The 20-year-old has started 18 of the club’s last 20 matches, underlining his growing importance under Niko Kovac.

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His first Bundesliga campaign has brought 31 league appearances so far, while his overall Dortmund record stands at 48 appearances and one goal in all competitions. That follows an outstanding Sunderland spell in which he made 90 appearances, scored 11 goals and helped the Black Cats win promotion back to the Premier League.

Bellingham joined Sunderland from Birmingham City in 2023 and quickly became one of the club’s most important players. He scored his first senior goals in a 2-1 win over Rotherham United at the Stadium of Light, later netted against his former club Birmingham and signed a new long-term deal on Wearside in August 2024. He was named EFL Championship Young Player of the Season in 2025 before starting the play-off final win over Sheffield United at Wembley.

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