Sunderland face a fight to keep starlet Jobe Bellingham as European giants Lazio eye a summer move.
The Black Cats face another fight to keep their stars despite the January window just closing. Sunderland managed to fight off multiple Premier League and European clubs last month to keep multiple first-teamers at the Stadium of Light.
Jack Clarke was one player who was hotly pursued, with Michael Beale managing to hold onto his top scorer. Bellingham was another first-teamer linked away, with the 18-year-old’s performances at Sunderland catching the eye of multiple teams.
However, it seems as if the fight is not over. Despite the transfer window not being open, Bellingham has once again been linked away. The midfielder only joined the club in the summer from Birmingham but reporters suggest his time at the Stadium of Light will be a short one.
Lazio add Jobe Bellingham to summer target list
Lazio have seemingly had a special interest in Sunderland over recent months. The Italian club was linked with Clarke in January and apparently had two bids rejected for the Sunderland attacker.
Now, Sunderland Nation is reporting that Lazio are eyeing a summer move for Bellingham.
The article states that both Clarke and Bellingham remain targets for the Italian club with Lazio set to have a bigger budget in the summer. Real Madrid, Tottenham and Chelsea also hold strong interest in the midfielder.
However, Sunderland’s ace wants regular football which could prove to be a stumbling block for any potential move away.
Promotion push for Sunderland now vital this season
Over recent years Sunderland have built a formidable squad. After spending years in League One, the side is now one of the best in the Championship and stands a good chance of getting into the play-offs once again.
However, promotion this season is vital if the club want to keep hold of their best players. While Michael Beale’s side managed to hold off potential suitors in January, this will not be as easy in the summer if the club remain in the second tier.
Premier League football may well entice many of Sunderland’s star to stay at the club. This is very much doable with the club only one point off the play-offs going into a winnable fixture against Plymouth on Saturday.
Beale will no doubt have to get the best out of his player if he wants to make promotion a reality at the end of the season.