Football League World
·10 July 2024
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·10 July 2024
Jobe Bellingham has been the subject of intense transfer speculation this summer
Sunderland are confident that they have convinced Jobe Bellingham to turn down a potential move to Tottenham Hotspur or Crystal Palace.
According to TEAMtalk, the midfielder has rejected the opportunity to possibly move to one of the London clubs this summer.
Bellingham has attracted a lot of attention due to his performances for the Black Cats since joining the club last year in a deal worth a reported £3 million.
The younger brother of England international Jude Bellingham has carved out an impressive start to his career, contributing seven goals and one assist from 45 appearances in the Championship for Sunderland.
But the Wearside outfit suffered a disappointing 16th place finish in the table, leading to the appointment of Régis Le Bris as their new head coach after the season ended.
Bellingham has opted to remain with Sunderland for next season despite interest from Spurs, as well as Crystal Palace.
The 18-year-old has impressed with his performances in the Championship, but is willing to remain in the second tier for a while, despite interest from the top flight.
Sunderland have held talks with the player’s agents, where they were able to convince him to commit his immediate future to the club.
The Championship side are now confident that he will remain at the Stadium of Light for at least another year.
Bellingham has a contract with Sunderland until the summer of 2027, giving them a strong negotiating position in any possible talks.
However, the Black Cats are braced for offers from big teams in the future, with it understood that Bellingham’s camp believe bigger offers will arrive later in his career.
Manchester United and Real Madrid are both reportedly monitoring the player, with his older brother Jude currently competing for the Spanish giants.
There are a number of key first team players attracting interest at Sunderland this summer, on top of Bellingham.
Trai Hume reportedly has five clubs circling around his future, with Jack Clarke’s time at the club also up in the air.
Ipswich Town are also believed to be monitoring Pierre Ekwah and Dan Ballard, meaning it could be a very busy last several weeks of the window.
New head coach Le Bris will also be hoping for incomings to help improve his squad before the 30 August deadline next month.
Bellingham performed well for Sunderland last season in his debut campaign on Wearside, especially given he is still only 18 years of age.
But another season in the Championship could be the more beneficial move for his development, as there is no need to rush into Premier League football just yet.
He can continue to earn consistent game time in a good Sunderland side, and help the club compete for promotion.
That would be better than irregular minutes at a top flight level, which could see him fall behind in his path to the top of the game, especially given the competition at a club like Spurs, and in 12 months time, he could be in a better position when it comes to his readiness for the top flight.