Sunderland are set to receive an offer from German giants Borussia Dortmund for midfielder Jobe Bellingham immediately following their play-off final against Sheffield United, according to reports from Germany.
The 19-year-old arrived at the Stadium of Light from Birmingham City in 2023 for a fee believed to be less than £3 million. He has since become an ever-present for the Black Cats, racking up 89 appearances for the club.
This includes 42 this season, including both play-off semi final legs against Coventry City. He has contributed four goals and three assists from the heart of midfield.
The England under-21 international’s form has seen him garner interest from across Europe, including Chelsea, Manchester United, Real Madrid and RB Leipzig. However, it is Dortmund who seem to have the advantage.
Dortmund Keen On Bellingham Repeat
Of course, Dortmund have history when it comes to the Bellingham brothers. Having paid £25 million for Jude’s services from Birmingham in 2020, he was sold three years later to Real Madrid in a deal that could reach £115 million.
It seems as if the Bundesliga outfit are keen to bring in his younger brother, with an offer already being prepared. According to Sky Sports Germany journalist Patrick Berger, an bid of between €25-30 million is being readied to submit immediately following Saturday’s play-off final.
Furthermore, it is said that there has been no contact with the player himself, with Dortmund wishing to respect Sunderland ahead of their all-important clash at Wembley Stadium.
⚫️🟡 Borussia Dortmund are pushing to sign Jobe Bellingham (19/🏴) IMMEDIATELY – they want him available already for the FIFA Club World Cup.
No agreement with the player yet. #BVB are respecting that Jobe has a crucial match with Sunderland on Sunday vs Sheffield. But Dortmund…
— Patrick Berger (@berger_pj) May 19, 2025
BVB are preparing for the revised Club World Cup, which kicks off in June. Berger states that they hope to have Bellingham on board for their trip to the USA, with their first match against Fluminense scheduled for June 17th.
Writer’s View
This news will be a bitter blow to Sunderland. There was a hope on Wearside that earning promotion to the Premier League would be enough to convince Bellingham to remain at the Stadium of Light, but it appears as if they will still have to field interest. There’s no guarantees that the 19-year-old could make the move to the continent, although it does seem likely due to the astronomical rise his brother enjoyed at Signal Iduna Park.
