Sunderland owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus' stance on Jobe Bellingham and Jordan Henderson transfers revealed
Kyril Louis-Dreyfus' stance on the Jobe Bellingham and Jordan Henderson transfers has been revealed
Sunderland owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus is determined to keep hold of star midfielder Jobe Bellingham following the club’s return to the Premier League, according to Guardian journalist Ed Aarons.
The 19-year-old England Under-21 international has held transfer talks with several Bundesliga clubs this week, including Eintracht Frankfurt and Borussia Dortmund, as speculation over his future intensifies. However, despite the significant European interest and the player's recent visit to Germany, Aarons reports that Sunderland remain hopeful of retaining Bellingham’s services for their top-flight campaign.
Posting on X, Aarons said: “Understand that Sunderland owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus is determined to keep Jobe Bellingham after their promotion to the Premier League. The England Under 21 midfielder has held talks with clubs in Germany this week but it remains to be seen whether he will be allowed to leave.”
Bellingham played a key role in Sunderland's impressive 2024–25 campaign, which culminated in a dramatic 2-1 win over Sheffield United in the Championship play-off final at Wembley. He remains under contract at the Stadium of Light until 2028, giving the club a strong negotiating position, should interest continue to mount.
In a further update, Aarons also revealed that Sunderland are still mulling over whether to pursue a move for Ajax midfielder Jordan Henderson. The 34-year-old, a graduate of the club’s academy, was present at Wembley to watch the play-off final and has been strongly linked with a return to Wearside. “Sunderland are also believed to be still considering whether to try and re-sign Jordan Henderson this summer,” Aarons added.
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Henderson, who has also attracted interest from Rangers, has the option to extend his contract with Ajax by a further year but could be tempted by a Premier League return, especially to the club where his professional career began.
According to Fabrizio Romano, Henderson has interest from both the Premier League and Serie A, and is set to decide his next move this month. Sunderland and Rangers have both been mooted as possible destinations. Dutch reports claim Ajax are keen to offload Henderson’s salary, particularly following the departure of head coach Francesco Farioli, who was eager to retain the England international.
Romano wrote on X: “Jordan Henderson will decide his future this month; English midfielder has the option to trigger additional year at Ajax but has interest from Premier League and Serie A. Henderson had a top season captaining Ajax back to UCL and back in the England squad with Tuchel.”
Another high-profile name linked with a return to the Stadium of Light is Amad Diallo. The Manchester United winger spent a memorable 2022-23 campaign on loan at Sunderland, becoming a firm fan favourite as he dazzled in the Championship.
While reports from 225foot.com suggest Sunderland are interested in reuniting with the Ivorian, a deal appears unlikely. Diallo has recently signed a contract extension keeping him at Old Trafford until 2030, and his impressive recent form has only increased his value. Any permanent transfer would require a significant fee, potentially pricing Sunderland out of a move, though a loan could still be explored later in the window.