Sunderland plotting Man City transfer raid for Jobe Bellingham successor as Dortmund move nears | OneFootball

A teenage prodigy at the Etihad Stadium is on Sunderland's radar

Teenage Man City starlet Charlie Gray is wanted by Premier League returnees Sunderland as a successor to Borussia Dortmund-bound Jobe Bellingham.

The Black Cats appear somewhat powerless to stop the midfielder from taking the same step in his career that older brother Jude did by moving to the German outfit, although reports over the weekend have suggested they need to up their bid to land Sunderland's number seven.

The hierarchy at the Stadium of Light are already looking at succession plans though, and a little-known Man City teen is on their radar.

Man City kid Charlie Gray on Sunderland AFC transfer radar

As reported by journalist Alan Nixon, Man City youngster Charlie Gray is being eyed up by Sunderland to add to their already young crop of talent.

The 19-year-old has been at City since he was a child, and was a regular for their under-21's last season in the Premier League 2 competition as they won it once more, but unlike other Cityzens youngsters, he never made an appearance in a first-team squad.

According to Nixon, Gray has just one year remaining on his contract at the Etihad Stadium, and Sunderland may now look to pounce on the youngster as part of using their windfall from winning the Championship play-off final.

Charlie Gray can't be expected to be Jobe Bellingham's immediate Sunderland successor

As a regular in City's under-21's starting 11, Gray clearly has some promise, but he hasn't been capped by England at youth level at all, unlike a lot of other promising talent within the club's setup.

That of course does not mean he isn't talented, but also, the fact he hasn't been in a first-team squad under Pep Guardiola when a lot of other teenagers have suggests that Gray is not yet ready for Premier League football - although he did win the development squad's Players' Player of the Season for 2024-25.

It would make the decision for the 19-year-old to be eyed up as the Bellingham successor for Regis Le Bris a curious one, as surely this is a player that would need some significant development with first-team minutes under his belt - ones you would imagine he'd need to find out on loan first.