Get the "Jobe" Done! Three Reasons BVB must sign Jobe Bellingham this summer | OneFootball

The year is 2020, and a fresh-faced, 17-year-old Jude Bellingham has just been voted as the 2019/20 EFL Young Player of the Season. After a stellar season with Birmingham City, Jude would go on to make the switch from a white and blue strip to the black and yellow one— a much more pleasant color palette, if you ask me — and well, the rest is history.

Fast-forward to the present day, and 19-year-old Jobe Bellingham is following in his older brother's footsteps. After helping Sunderland secure a Championship playoff spot, Jobe was recognized with the same award his brother had won five years ago and was also the only Sunderland player to be named in the Team of the Season.

While Jobe remains focused on his responsibilities at the Stadium of Light, the Black Cats will presumably have difficulty keeping hold of their midfield engine beyond this season. With Jude having made his mark in Black and Yellow, it's only natural that Kehl and Co. would want a repeat of that success story. Here is why Jobe's next chapter should take place in Dortmund:

Cut from the Same Cloth

Borussia Dortmund v 1. FC Köln - Bundesliga | BSR Agency/GettyImages

It's scary how strikingly Jobe resembles Jude on the pitch. The feints, the chops, the first touch. It's virtually the same skill set that the Signal Iduna Park was treated to from 2020 to 2023.

Birmingham City v Reading - Sky Bet Championship | Gareth Copley/GettyImages

Jobe's relentless work rate lends itself to protecting, covering, or supporting without the ball in possession. With the ball, he will gladly make a run from deep, drive forward into the box, and link up with forwards. He can also be a threat from long range with his right foot. Furthermore, there is a maturity to his play style and the way he carries himself, most of which he has probably picked up from his family, that makes him very coachable.

He has the size (6 ft 2 in) of a defensive midfielder while also possessing the awareness and passing range of a number eight. He brings a box-to-box versatility that allows him to cover the entirety of the midfield, which you don't often see in players his age.

Sunderland's number seven has played in 39 matches this season, providing four goals and three assists. However, Bellingham should not be judged solely by his numerical statistics. His impact extends beyond the stat sheet, as they say. Jobe has all the attributes of a complete footballer, in addition to being a great teammate you would want on your crew.

Changing of the Guard

Sunderland AFC v Hull City AFC - Sky Bet Championship | Stu Forster/GettyImages

Of all the areas that need overhauling in Dortmund, their midfield is probably the most significant point of emphasis. Emre Can, Julian Brandt, Salih Özcan, Gio Reyna, and Marcel Sabitzer are all departure candidates for Die Schwarzgelben, leaving the squad with only two proper midfielders: Pascal Groß and Felix Nmecha. While it's unlikely that all players named will leave in the same window, most of them are either over 30 or approaching that age, meaning Dortmund will have to replace them sooner rather than later.

With Bellingham's market value currently standing at 22 million euros, his transfer could demand a large chunk of BVB's transfer budget. However, making Bellingham the top priority this upcoming window involves the least amount of risk, in my opinion.

For example, Kehl could pivot and make Chelsea loanee Carney Chukwuemeka his priority, but the 21-year-old's health remains a looming question mark that can't be ignored. Meanwhile, reigniting the Rayan Cherki saga could prove too costly at this point, given the Frenchman's scintillating current form, which is likely to raise his stock even further.

In an ideal world, Dortmund would sign all three. But that midfield trio will be filed under "farfetched dreams" for now, especially if next season is void of Champions League floodlights...

Matching Timelines

England v Portugal - Men's U21 International | Dan Istitene/GettyImages

There is no better time than now when it comes to recruiting the U21 English starlet. He's ready to take the next step in his development, and Dortmund are looking for new impulses. Potential German competitors, such as Leverkusen and Leipzig, could have coaching changes around the corner and are in far less need of a new midfielder. With Niko Kovač and BVB likely continuing their work together going into the next season, I can imagine Jobe's hard-nosed profile fitting well into his concept.

Understandably, Premier League clubs have expressed their interest as well. A route that would allow him to live closer to his family. But the English press can be unforgiving when it comes to their homegrown talent. There is also no assurance that Jobe would start for a team like Chelsea or Tottenham, which would obviously stunt his development.

Jobe will surely receive excellent advice from his family, and Jude has shown that a move to the Bundesliga can pay dividends. This begs the question: Will Jobe want to follow the blueprint that his brother laid out? Or would he rather walk his own path? We will find out in the coming months. Before any dotted lines are signed, though, Dortmund must first secure that decisive fourth place in the league.

Jobe's contract with Sunderland runs until 2028.