Breaking:here we go Fabrizio confirm Newcastle United are seriously in advance negotiations for Sunderland playmaker
One of the summer’s biggest transfer moves involved the sale of England boy wonder Jude Bellingham, who left Borussia Dortmund after three seasons in the Bundesliga for the challenge of playing for Europe’s most successful football club, Real Madrid.
As good as everyone thought Bellingham could be, I don’t think any observers of the game expected him to make the impact he has had, scoring 17 goals and adding five assists in just 20 matches.
Few could argue that he hasn’t been value for money for Real Madrid.
The La Liga and England star has a younger brother, Jobe Bellingham, who is currently plying his trade just down the road from us for Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.
If Real Madrid got value for money, then Sunderland arguably got the steal of the century, signing a 17 year old Jobe Bellingham this summer from Birmingham City, for a reported fee of just £3m.
Generally a deeper lying player than his older brother (although he has also played as a lone striker), at now just 18 years of age, Jobe Bellingham has been one of the best players in the Championship, making 21 appearances, scoring four goals and adding one assist. In recent weeks he has looked in need of a rest – unsurprising given his tender years and the relentless nature of the Championship – but given the relative struggles that recently cost Tony Mowbray his job, Jobe Bellingham has been too important to leave out of the team.
So why am I writing a piece about a Sunderland player on these pages?
Quite simply because I think signing Jobe Bellingham should be Newcastle United’s number one priority.
In my view, he is the outstanding young player currently plying his trade outside the Premier League and persistent rumours linking him with joining his brother at Real Madrid, suggest he is destined for great things in the game.
What has been evident throughout Jude’s career so far, is how carefully it has been managed by his father Mark Bellingham, a non-league legend with over 700 goals to his name, and his mum Denise.