Crystal Palace are still pushing to sign Jobe Bellingham from Sunderland, with the attacker a ‘main target’ for the Premier League side in the window.
The 18-year-old made the decision to join the Black Cats from boyhood club Birmingham City last year, and it’s a move that worked out in terms of giving Bellingham the game time he craved.
Whilst it was a disappointing year on the whole for Sunderland as they finished 16th in the Championship, the teenager impressed at times, scoring seven goals in 45 appearances.
Crystal Palace looking to secure Jobe Bellingham transfer
Of course, as you would expect for someone so young, Bellingham did struggle for consistency, but his performances seem to have caught the eye, as it has been known for a few weeks that Palace were tracking the player.
And, in a fresh development, journalist Fabrizio Romano has revealed that the Eagles ‘keep working’ on a transfer to bring Bellingham to the capital.
“Understand Crystal Palace keep working on a deal to sign Jobe Bellingham, one of the main targets on their shortlist. Antonio Nusa, separate deal and among priorities.
“Jobe Bellingham’s future depends on the player’s decision with many clubs keen, Crystal Palace are trying.”
Sunderland will demand a big fee for Jobe Bellingham
The update doesn’t state what sort of fee Sunderland will demand for Bellingham, but it has been said previously that they would seek above £20m for the attacking midfielder.
That’s unlikely to be problematic for Palace, as they are set for a major windfall from Michael Olise, with the talented winger poised to join Bayern Munich in a deal worth around £50m.
With Bellingham, the England youth international is under contract at the Stadium of Light until the summer of 2027, so the club are under no pressure to cash in.
Failure to win promotion may mean that Sunderland do look to sell someone to give new boss Regis Le Bris the funds he wants for a rebuild, but there are several assets at the club who could fetch a decent sum, including the likes of Anthony Patterson and Jack Clarke.
Regis Le Bris could have a big say in Jobe Bellingham’s future
The Bellingham family have shown with Jobe and older brother Jude, that they place a real emphasis on game time for the two players.
So, if Le Bris makes it known that Bellingham will be a big part of his plans moving forward, they may well see Sunderland as the right place for him to continue to develop, as they won’t just chase the money or the Premier League if his career stalls as a result.
The new boss won’t have a full say on transfers, but he can explain his philosophy and approach to the players, and he will no doubt already have a few individuals in mind that he wants to build the team around.
Sunderland’s summer transfer plans
As mentioned, the strategy at Sunderland is well-known when it comes to transfers now, so the club will sell players if a suitable offer arrives.
Then, it will be about reinvesting that money, primarily in younger players, who can develop and improve in the years to come.
It’s clear that at least one new striker is going to be the priority, and fans will feel that other areas of the pitch also need to be addressed. Then, whoever does depart, will need to be replaced.
So, a busy summer could await, and there is pressure on the Sunderland hierarchy to get things right after a poor campaign last time out.
