Sunderland: Avoiding Crystal Palace, Southampton transfer temptation could bring bigger payday - View | OneFootball

Sunderland should resist any transfer offers for Jobe Bellingham, as they could demand a higher fee next summer.

Highlights

Sunderland face a summer of transfer conundrums, with a range of their stars being pursued by Premier League outfits.

One of those players is Jobe Bellingham, who has been attracting major interest from Premier League clubs, such as Crystal Palace and Southampton.

However, according to Fabrizio Romano, the 18-year-old will snub Premier League interest in favour of remaining at the Stadium of Light for the 2024/25 season.

Although it appears Bellingham will be wearing the red and white of Sunderland next season, it remains to be seen whether the club can resist any audacious bids for one of their best prospects.

Though it will be tempting, the Black Cats should resist any transfer offers for Bellingham this window in a bid to bring in a greater windfall next summer.

Jobe's stock is only going to increase

Sunderland signed Bellingham from Birmingham City in June 2023 for an undisclosed fee - understood to be in the region of £3 million.

It was reported that the Black Cats set an asking price of £20 million for the versatile midfielder this summer, in an attempt to stave off interest from the likes of Palace and Southampton.

If he were sold for £20 million, then during his solitary year in the North East, Sunderland would yield a profit of around £17 million - around seven times what he cost them last year.

But Bellingham has three years left on his contract with the Wearsiders, meaning the club are in a strong selling position.

Indeed, another strong campaign could see his value rise even higher.

Considering Sunderland's catastrophic season on and off the field, it is a testament to Bellingham that his performances have attracted interest from a wealth of clubs across Europe.

The attacking midfielder significantly increased his output last season, with seven goals and one assist. Furthermore, he demonstrated his versatility by playing as an attacking midfielder and as a lone centre-forward when called upon.

Long-term plans for immediate impact

With Regis Le Bris confirmed as the Black Cats boss ahead of the new season, Sunderland will want to challenge again for promotion and Bellingham is likely to be central to any success on the pitch.

At 18 years of age, he has time to improve his game and if Sunderland were to achieve promotion to the Premier League, then they would surely demand an even higher fee. Alternatively, he might decide to stay and play out his Premier League dream with the club - a win-win scenario.

By resisting transfer offers for Bellingham, the Black Cats will send out a clear message to any potential suitors for the rest of their young squad - they are not for sale.

Trai Hume, Jack Clarke, and Dan Ballard are three of Sunderland's youngest talents, who have all been linked with Premier League moves recently. So far, Sunderland have resisted, but the story of this transfer window will set the tone for the season.

By holding on to Bellingham, even if it is only for one more season, Sunderland may be able to deter clubs looking to pinch their young talent. As a result, the Wearsiders will be stronger.

Furthermore, it is a positive sign that Bellingham believes in the Sunderland project. If the rest of the squad can see the integral work being done behind the scenes at the Stadium of Light, then they are likely to remain on board too.