Jobe Bellingham set for ‘Premier League future’ and Sunderland pathway

Jobe Bellingham looks set to become the first signing of Sunderland’s summer transfer window with the 17-year-old reportedly set for his medical next week. The younger brother of England sensation Jude Bellingham has followed in his footsteps and looks set to forge his own special career.

Jobe has been linked with a number of Premier League sides but the Black Cats look to have won the race for his signature given their ties to Birmingham City’s academy. Sporting director Kristjaan Speakman has a good relationship with the Bellingham family after Jude’s breakthrough into the first-team and move to Borussia Dortmund.

The younger Bellingham brother was at Sunderland’s play-off semi-final clash against Luton Town at the Stadium of Light and a fee of £3million is reported to have been agreed between the Black Cats and the Chronicle Live spoke with Birmingham City reporter for Birmingham Live, Alex Dicken, for an insight into Bellingham’s Blues career and what a move to Sunderland could mean.

What sort of player is Jobe and how highly is he rated at Birmingham?

Alex Dicken: “He is a very intelligent midfield player who is excellent at finding spaces to receive possession and we saw against Millwall at the end of last season that he can excel in the Championship. Blues head coach John Eustace rates him really highly, but he is mindful of the pressure on Jobe because of his surname and his brother’s success.”

He made his full Championship debut last season, how did he fare throughout the season?

AD: “There were two different Jobe Bellinghams. He was still growing and adjusting to senior football in the first half of the campaign and some of his performances showed that. When he reappeared in the final month of the season we saw a much more physically imposing and confident player, who looked at home in the Championship.

“He showed in the final few weeks of the season that he can be an asset at this level, despite being just 17, and that his future is in the Premier League.”

At just 17-years-old, he’s following in the footsteps of his brother but are there any similarities between the two?
AD: “The similarities are clear genetically. They possess similar physical attributes, although Jobe is slightly taller than Jude after going through a growth spurt in the last 12 months.

“As players they are different. Jobe is more of a number 10 at this stage and has played most of his football for Blues there, whereas Jude operated a little bit deeper.

“To compare the two would be unfair on Jobe, who is ahead of the curve for his age and extremely talented in his own right. He will probably go on to have an excellent career, he just won’t reach the top level as rapidly as his brother did – and there is nothing wrong with that.”

Were you surprised to see speculation linking him with Sunderland?

AD: “In a word: no. Sunderland have raided Blues’ academy for three men who have been instrumental in the Bellinghams’ pathway. Kristjaan Speakman, Mike Dodds and Stuart English – all of whom are now in situ at the Stadium of Light – are close to the Bellingham family as a result of their work with Jude and Jobe in Blues’ academy.

“They can offer Jobe first team football, which Premier League teams can’t at this stage.”

What sort of potential does he have, can he go on a similar trajectory to his brother?
AD: “He has a lot of potential. If we measure Jobe against other 17-year-olds in the country, he is among the very best.

“He has already played 25 senior games and features regularly for the England under-18s. He is destined for the Premier League and, who knows, one day he might reach the same level that his brother has.”