Among Sunderland’s very young, very talented squad right now, they have a player who is destined to go to the very top, but that means the Black Cats may struggle to keep hold of him.
It’s been a great start to the season for Sunderland under Regis Le Bris, with the Wearside outfit still keeping touch with pacesetters Sheffield United and Leeds at the top of the Championship table.
Sunderland have been praised for having a brilliantly balanced squad, and the win against Swansea City over the weekend proved the Black Cats have the mental resilience needed to succeed, too.
But, of all the players in the Sunderland squad, it was Jobe Bellingham who stole the headlines once again for his match-winning moment.
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Jobe Bellingham is living up to the hype this season
Discussing the game on the Second Tier podcast, Ryan Dilks and Justin Peach lavished praise on Jobe for his performance against Swansea, and highlighted just how much of a special talent he has proven to be this season.
Peach said: “He is developing nicely… he just feels like he has that aura, he’s got an ego, he relishes those big games. His finish was great, but his movement to get across to the ball was excellent. His celebration, embracing being the man of the moment. He was absorbing it all. It’s good to see young players do that.
“There was a lot of scepticism around him from Sunderland fans last season, lot of inconsistency. But this season he is delivering.”
Dilks commented on the fact that Jude Bellingham’s status may be getting in the way of Jobe’s recognition, adding: “I just can’t believe there’s people out there who think he’s overhyped cos of his brother. I see it a lot on social media, but nothing could be further from the truth.
“He’s such a difference maker. Whether it’s scoring goals or just running midfield, he has been one of the best midfielders in the division this season. And that’s despite him just being 19. They’ll be praying they can hold on to him, but that may be wishful thinking. If he keeps this up, he’s going right to the top.”
Dilks and Peach are not the only ones to fawn over the Sunderland man recently, with Michael Graham admitting he never believed Jobe would reach the levels he has this season.
How long can Sunderland realistically keep Jobe Bellingham?
Unfortunately, it would appear Bellingham will eventually end up leaving Sunderland, it’s just a matter of when.
However, the fact that Jobe has professed his love for Sunderland recently should give fans assurance that he will be sticking around for a while yet.
| Statistics | Jobe Bellingham 2024/25 |
|---|---|
| Appearances | 18 |
| Goals | 3 |
| Assists | 3 |
| xG | 1.4 |
| Pass success | 85.8% |
We believe Jobe would reject Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund in particular as he looks to step out of Jude’s shadow. But, that doesn’t mean that a move to the Premier League isn’t on the cards.
Sunderland will be hoping they can get promoted this season, not just to enjoy the luxury of top flight football again, but to also keep hold of their best players.