Sunderland AFC: Fresh Jobe Bellingham transfer development emerges involving Real Madrid | OneFootball

Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund are both monitoring Sunderland starlet Jobe Bellingham

Real Madrid have joined Borussia Dortmund in closely monitoring Sunderland starlet Jobe Bellingham, who has notched two goals and two assists in 17 Championship appearances so far this season.

That's according to TBR Football, who also report that while Dortmund have known about the teenager for a long time and Madrid have also been watching him closely, the Black Cats do not want to sell him in January due to their promotion push.

Moving to Champions League Madrid, where he could play alongside his older brother Jude, would be an undoubtedly exciting move for Sunderland's Bellingham, as would a move to Dortmund, where Jude previously plied his trade.

As reported by Sky Sports Football, a transfer fee of €25m would be enough for either the La Liga giants or their Bundesliga counterparts to land the 19-year-old's services.

Meanwhile, TBR Football also understands that Premier League clubs Arsenal, Chelsea, Aston Villa, Brighton, Brentford and Fulham have all watched the Birmingham City academy graduate this season.

Black Cats must not sell Bellingham in January

But no matter how much money the Black Cats would be able to hold out to receive in exchange for Bellingham's services, they must not let go of the starlet during the upcoming January transfer window.

The Black Cats have not returned to the Premier League since being relegated from the top-flight back in 2017, and since then, the club have also spent four largely miserable seasons in League One.

A win over Stoke City on Saturday, followed by Tuesday night's 1-1 draw with Bristol City, which came courtesy of Patrick Roberts' 93rd minute equaliser, leaves the North East side just two points below the automatic promotion spots, and four points adrift of league leaders Leeds United.

So a place in next season's Premier League is seriously at stake for Regis Le Bris' men, and is not something they will want to jeopardise by selling Bellingham come January.

Therefore, interest from Dortmund and Madrid could be unlikely to lead to a move for the youngster until at least next summer, once it is decided which division the Black Cats will be playing in next term.

Bellingham should want to stay at Sunderland for now

Likewise, the ace himself should not be overly keen on departing the Stadium of Light just yet, as he is playing week in, week out in the Championship.

At the age of 19, the most important factor for Bellingham in terms of deciding whether to stay at the Black Cats or to leave should be his game time.

He is one of Le Bris' key players, whereas at Madrid, he would likely come behind the likes of Federico Valverde, Aurelien Tchouameni and Luka Modric in Carlo Ancelotti's pecking order.

And while Dortmund don't boast the same overwhelming quality of the Galacticos, Nuri Sahin still has the likes of Pascal Gross, Emre Can and Felix Nmecha to choose from, which would mean that Bellingham wouldn't be a guaranteed starter for the Bundesliga outfit.

Such high profile interest highlights just how talented the Black Cats starlet is, but perhaps the January transfer window will arrive too soon for the 19-year-old to move on to pastures new.