Sunderland: Speakman and Dreyfus facing big Jobe Bellingham call with Crystal Palace in talks - View | OneFootball

Sunderland could be susceptible to bids for some of their star players after missing out on promotion last term.

Pierre Ekwah is one man who has impressed - and it wouldn't be a shock to see Jack Clarke leave considering how impressive he has been for the Black Cats during the previous two seasons.

He may have been injured during the latter stages of the season, but the winger is someone who has arguably done enough to earn a move back to the Premier League in the coming months.

Clarke is already being linked with a move away from the Stadium of Light ahead of the summer window - and Jobe Bellingham is also reportedly attracting interest too.

Having previously been linked with Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur in the past, other English top-flight teams are now eyeing a move for the brother of world superstar Jude.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Crystal Palace are in talks to recruit the attack-minded midfielder, with their manager Oliver Glasner keen to get a deal over the line for him.

The youngster is also attracting interest from Brentford, who could potentially complete a double swoop this summer with Clarke also on their radar.

Considering his older brother is Jude Bellingham, it's perhaps no surprise that plenty of eyes are on Jobe at the moment, with many clubs keen to see whether he can also become a world-class player.

Considering the calibre of teams that were previously linked and are currently linked, with Real Madrid another team thought to have been keen on the 18-year-old, some clubs clearly believe that he could be similar to his older sibling Jude.

It's clear that younger brother Jobe has a high amount of potential, but there are certainly no guarantees that he will become a world-class player in the future, especially with the weight of expectation that's on him.

He has enjoyed a decent first season at the Stadium of Light and that would have only boosted his valuation. Considering he's only 18, the fact he managed to score seven goals last term is impressive.

With his decent 2023/24 season and the fact he's a Bellingham in mind, Jobe could generate a huge fee this summer and that would allow the Black Cats to invest plenty of money into the first-team squad, which will be important for the new manager who will want to put his stamp on the squad.

Kristjaan Speakman and Kyril Louis-Dreyfus should look to keep Jobe Bellingham at Sunderland

There could potentially be a temptation to sell Bellingham, especially if it means they have a better chance of keeping Jack Clarke and potentially tying him down to a new deal.

However, it feels as though the 18-year-old is only in the early stages of his Sunderland story and it would be a real shame for the club if they sold him before seeing him develop further.

With the player signing a long-term contract when he joined last year, it's not as if the teenager is in a strong position to push for a move away from Wearside, so the Championship side should have no problems in their potential quest to keep hold of him.

And it would be a real statement of intent to keep Bellingham, something that owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus and sporting director Kristjaan Speakman need following the failed appointment of Mick Beale.

He's also a key first-teamer, even though he's only 18, and it may not be cheap to replace him if they did cash in on the teenager.

They need to keep him for another year and then reassess their stance on the midfielder during the summer of 2025, when he could be worth even more.

Selling him now would be disappointing, especially for the new manager who will want to work with the young talent.

And if they want to secure a top-flight return, keeping high-potential players like Bellingham will be important for them, with the 18-year-old only likely to become better in the coming years.