Sunderland sporting director Kristjaan Speakman has refused to give a concrete update over the future of midfielder Jobe Bellingham.
The 19-year-old is expected to leave the Stadium of Light this summer and has held talks with German giants Borussia Dortmund over the past week. It is believed that the England under-21 international is keen to follow in his brother’s footsteps by taking the next step of his career at Signal Iduna Park.
Renowned journalist Fabrizio Romano reported yesterday that terms had been agreed over a five-year deal and that Dortmund were confident they can complete the transfer in the coming days. However, The Chronicle state there is still a disagreement over the fee, with the Bundesliga outfit hoping to pay £25 million.
Speakman Dodges Questions
Sunderland completed their return to the Premier League last month with a dramatic play-off final victory over Sheffield United. The Black Cats are still hoping to convince Bellingham to give them one more season, with the opportunity of top tier English football surely an enticing one.
🚨🟡⚫️ The agreement between Jobe Bellingham and Borussia Dortmund is done on five year contract.
BVB are expected to proceed and get the deal done with Sunderland in the upcoming days. pic.twitter.com/ApkehGVije
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 4, 2025
Addressing the situation, Speakman refused to give an update, instead saying one will be issued when there is something to report:
“I can’t say anything on that specific situation.
“What we can’t be doing is speculating on every single player and every potential trade, whether that’s a player leaving or a player coming in. It’s just the nature of the industry.
“Once we know where we are with certain players and things can be defined, then we’ll try to be public on that.”
Continuing, the sporting director said their recent success means that players will become targets from other clubs, but it’s his job to convince them to stay put:
“You’ve always got to have a plan in place for all the group. I’ve always said that the byproduct of a successful team will be the backhanded compliment of people wanting your players.
“I’m sure if I went on social media today, or on the internet, there’ll be a raft of players who have done well for Sunderland that other teams would like. I’m proud of that.
“I’m proud of those individual players for doing so well that they get that recognition. But it’s our job to make sure that people see Sunderland as where their focus needs to be, and I think we’ve managed to do that over the last couple of years, which has resulted in a successful team.”
Writer’s View
This is an interesting scenario that weirdly became more complicated by Sunderland’s promotion. Should the Black Cats have remained in the Championship, Bellingham’s exit from the Stadium of Light would be a foregone conclusion. It still appears more likely than not, but the prospect of the Premier League means they have a more attractive carrot to dangle.
