Why are Man Utd trying to sign Sunderland AFC star Jobe Bellingham? | OneFootball

Football League World takes a look at why Manchester United are keen on signing Sunderland star Jobe Bellingham

Manchester United are keeping tabs on Sunderland star Jobe Bellingham, and could look to launch a move for his services this month, but the Black Cats are keen to retain their man, at least until the summer.

That's according to TeamTalk, who report that the Red Devils are vying to build a squad who are capable of challenging for trophies, and are keen to back new boss Ruben Amorim in the transfer market.

Football League World takes a closer look at the Black Cats starlet, and what he could bring to the table for the Red Devils, should they successfully land his services:

Bellingham could be a key figure in Man United's rebuild

Currently, Amorim's men sit 13th in the Premier League table following Sunday afternoon's 3-1 home defeat at Brighton, which is a far cry from their long-term aspirations to lift their first league title since 2013.

With just 16 games left to play, the Red Devils are also a whopping 14 points below a top-four spot, which would guarantee Champions League football for next season.

As it stands, it is even touch and go for the Old Trafford outfit as to whether they are capable of landing a place in any European competition ahead of next campaign.

It is therefore clear that the Red Devils' issues are far from a quick fix, and they are in dire need of undergoing a full scale rebuild over the course of the summer transfer window, while Bellingham's signature could come as a potential bonus in January.

At just 19-years-old, Bellingham clearly boasts bags of potential, so landing his signature would be a clear nod to the future for Amorim and co.

But the Black Cats star has already proven himself as a highly talented individual, who has notched four goals and three assists in 25 Championship outings so far this term.

He is just one goal contribution shy of matching the combined tally of eight goals and assists he managed across 45 second tier appearances last campaign, proving he is getting better all the time, which could be an ideal scenario for a Red Devils side who are in need of improvement themselves.

While Bellingham is still just a teenager, he has already showcased his ability to act as the go-to man for the Black Cats, and created an assist as well as scoring a goal to seal a 3-2 win for his side at Swansea City last month, while Regis Le Bris' men had previously trailed 2-0 in South Wales that afternoon.

Such match-winning qualities arguably show that the Englishman could be a solid acquisition for a Red Devils side who are becoming increasingly reliant upon Amad Diallo, and have frequently turned to moments of brilliance from captain Bruno Fernandes.

Bellingham is a versatile midfielder

Furthermore, the Black Cats ace is a versatile midfielder whose presence could bolster the Old Trafford side in more than one way, as he can ply his trade in an advanced 'number 10' role, and is also capable of being deployed in a deeper midfield role.

Since Amorim's Red Devils reign began, the boss has often opted for a system which utilises two attacking midfielders who sit behind the out-and-out striker.

For example, during their last Premier League outing against Brighton, United deployed Diallo and Fernandes as a pivot who supported starting forward Joshua Zirkzee.

Bellingham's attacking exploits for the Black Cats demonstrate that he could be capable of sitting in Diallo's current role alongside Fernandes, which could, in turn, see the Ivory Coast international acting as an attacking wing-back, thus sacrificing Noussair Mazraoui's place in Amorim's starting 11.

Alternatively, the current Black Cats ace could compete with Kobbie Mainoo and Manuel Ugarte for a deeper role, while his productivity in the final third shows that he could fill the void left behind by the exit of goalscoring midfielder Scott McTominay, who joined Napoli last summer.