Jobe Bellingham is looking increasingly likely to leave Sunderland this summer, but Kristjaan Speakman is making plans for his midfield department.
We’ve already seen one confirmed Sunderland departure ahead of the summer transfer window with Tommy Watson set to join Brighton in a £10million deal, following the Seagull’s failed January deadline day attempt to land the winger.
And it looks highly unlikely that Watson will be the only big money departure at the Stadium of Light this summer, especially if Regis Le Bris’ side aren’t promoted from the Championship.
There’s a horde of Sunderland players who either have Premier League or top flight European interest right now or have had at some point in the season. But it seems like Jobe Bellingham is the main man in transfer headlines right now.
Recent reports have revealed that Chelsea are showing the strongest interest in Bellingham ahead of the summer transfer window. He also has interest from elsewhere in the Premier League and in the Bundesliga too.
Sunderland eyeing Man City starlet Jacob Wright amid Jobe Bellingham uncertainty
Earlier in the year it was revealed that Sunderland want to sign Tommy Doyle from Wolves as a direct replacement for Bellingham. Now though, there’s another new central midfielder on the Black Cats’ radar who’s likely viewed as a replacement for 19-year-old Bellingham as well, in Man City youngster Jacob Wright who is currently on loan at Norwich City.
Norwich have a £2.3million option to buy the 19-year-old. Both he and Norwich are keen to make his stay permanent following his January loan move to Carrow Road, but transfer expert Graeme Bailey has revealed to EFL Analysis that Sunderland and also Middlesbrough are monitoring Wright’s situation.
Bailey explained: “There is interest elsewhere – that’s true. I understand Man City are ready to let him leave this summer. I do know Middlesbrough and Sunderland are keeping tabs – but that would likely be dependent on if they lose any of their current midfield stars.”
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Jacob Wright’s stats-per-game vs Jobe Bellingham in 2024/25
Man City academy graduate Wright has only featured 10 times in the Championship for Norwich City since joining on loan in the winter window, with no goals or assists. He did start and play 85 minutes of Sunderland’s 0-0 draw against Norwich City last time out though.
And although Bellingham has had a whole season in the Championship, his averages-per-game are still way higher than Wright’s, both in terms of defending and passing too…
| Statistic (Champ) | Jobe in 24/25 | Wright in 24/25 |
| Interceptions-per-game | 0.7 | 0.3 |
| Tackles-per-game | 1.9 | 1.8 |
| Recoveries-per-game | 5.8 | 3.2 |
| Dribbled past-per-game | 0.4 | 1.1 |
| Clearances-per-game | 2.3 | 0.5 |
| Touches-per-game | 55.7 | 50 |
| Key passes-per-game | 1.3 | 0.6 |
| Accurate passes-per-game | 33.1 | 34.5 |
Replacing Bellingham with a like-for-like is going to be extremely tough for Kristjaan Speakman, if not impossible with Bellingham being such a unique midfielder in that he’s so powerful yet so gifted technically and good at both ends of the pitch.
Wright remains very inexperienced but fits the profile of player that Sunderland look for, and if Speakman thinks he can be a hit then there’s every reason to believe he could be.