It’s safe to say Jobe Bellingham is a wanted man, and yet another club has now joined his long list of admirers. Worse yet, for Sunderland at least, is that the new suitors could offer him everything he could want.
Sunderland have a number of exciting assets, with the likes of Jobe Bellingham and Chris Rigg likely to either carry the Black Cats back to the top flight, or bring them a lot of money if and when they move on.
Indeed, Jobe is considered the Championship’s most valuable player right now thanks to his growing influence on Wearside this season.
But, with those great performances, Jobe has been noticed at home and abroad. Much has been said about a potential switch to Germany most of all, and more teams are queuing up now.
Bayer Leverkusen want to offer Jobe Bellingham a different path to Jude
Discussing Jobe’s future on his Patreon, Alan Nixon offered a big update on that interest from Germany, with Bayer Leverkusen now “ready to battle” Borussia Dortmund after watching him in action last week.
Jobe is now “firmly on their radar,” while Dortmund have been tracking him for a long time. However, Leverkusen are considered “serious rivals” as they can give the player a “different route” to the one trodden by his brother, Jude.
In many ways, Jobe has already outmatched Jude’s achievements in the Championship. It makes sense, then, that he would want to step out of his sibling’s shadow and make a name for himself in Germany away from Jude’s path.
It is said both clubs are considering moving for Jobe this month, but are “more likely” to wait until the summer. Thankfully, the player himself is happier to stick around on Wearside until then, too.
Will Jobe stay at home or move abroad?
We already know that there is an agreement in place to allow Jobe to talk to Premier League clubs if a suitable offer — thought to be at least £20m — comes in for him.
Crystal Palace are keen on Jobe, while Arsenal are also known to be interested. But, there is a very good chance that, unless Sunderland get promoted, we won’t see him in the Premier League at all.
A move to Germany, where there is clear evidence of a successful career path for talented young English players already in place, makes perfect sense for Jobe.
He can escape the media spotlight a little, experience a different culture and style of football, and would have a much better chance at getting regular minutes over there, too.
The lure of the Premier League may be too hard to ignore, but for a player that clearly has his feet on the ground and a sensible head on his shoulders, it would be very surprising if Jobe opted to stay in England in the summer.