What Jobe Bellingham first said when he signed for Sunderland AFC - He could be at Real Madrid soon | OneFootball

Jobe Bellingham's future at Sunderland is under intense scrutiny

Jobe Bellingham’s future at Sunderland is under intense scrutiny amid the club’s play-off campaign.

It has been reported by The Times that Borussia Dortmund are eyeing a deal worth £25 million for the midfielder this summer, and a move there could see him follow in the footsteps of his brother, and Real Madrid star, Jude Bellingham.

There have even been early claims in the Spanish media that Real Madrid could reunite the brothers in Spain, albeit a move to Germany seems most likely at this point.

Bellingham has been with the Black Cats since making the switch from Birmingham City in the 2023 summer transfer window.

He has become an integral part of the side in the two years since, making 85 regular league appearances in that time, scoring 11 and assisting four goals.

Here we take a look back at what the 19-year-old first said when he joined the team almost two years ago amid this interest from the Bundesliga giants.

Jobe Bellingham’s first Sunderland words

Bellingham joined Sunderland in a deal worth around £3 million, according to the Daily Mail, with the player expressing his excitement at the move when his move was confirmed.

He outlined his desire to develop his game, and thanked the fans for their support in helping him feel welcome at the Stadium of Light.

"I’ve been thinking about this for a long time and I can’t wait to get started," said Bellingham, via Chronicle Live.

"I spent many years at Birmingham City and that really helped my development, but now felt like the right time to take the next step.

"I’m looking forward to working under the Head Coach – I want to learn and develop my game – and I feel like I’m progressing every week, so playing with good players will only help that.

"The Stadium of Light is the best atmosphere I’ve ever played in and the fans have already made me feel welcome online, so I’m excited to get going and I’m focused on letting my football speak for itself."

Tony Mowbray was in charge when Bellingham was signed, with the team narrowly missing out on promotion with a play-off semi-final defeat to Luton Town.

Bellingham’s importance to Sunderland

Bellingham made his Sunderland debut with a start against Ipswich Town on the opening day of the 2023/24 campaign, which finished as a 2-1 defeat.

The midfielder scored twice in his third league appearance for the Wearside outfit, helping the team to their first win of the campaign, beating Rotherham United 2-1.

They were the first of seven goals in the season, but Sunderland suffered a disappointing second half of the term and ultimately finished 16th in the table, with Tony Mowbray departing as manager in December 2023.

The high point of Bellingham’s first year at the club came in the side’s 1-0 victory over Leeds United, in which the youngster scored the match-winning goal.

The 19-year-old has enjoyed a stronger second term with Sunderland, even if his goal tally has dropped to only four.

He’s been an integral part to Régis Le Bris’ side, starting 39 of their 46 regular league fixtures as the team secured a fourth-place finish in the table.

The Black Cats will now be hoping to secure Premier League promotion in the coming weeks, when they face Sheffield United in the Championship play-off final on May 24th. Bellingham played across both legs of their 3-2 aggregate win against Coventry City in the play-off semi-finals.