Exclusive: David Prutton urges Jobe Bellingham caution over one Sunderland AFC exit route | OneFootball

Pundit David Prutton is unsure whether a move to RB Leipzig would suit Jobe Bellingham at this stage of his career.

Pundit David Prutton has questioned whether Jobe Bellingham should make a move away from Sunderland to Germany, as RB Leipzig have been linked with a move for the teenage sensation.

Bellingham has been an integral part of Sunderland’s fight for promotion back to the Premier League this season, with the 19-year-old featuring heavily under Regis Le Bris as the Black Cats aim to end their long-term exodus from the top-flight.

Bellingham has started and completed 90 minutes in 22 of their last 23 Championship encounters, with his four goals and three assists helping raise the eyebrows of some heavyweight clubs around Europe.

In recent times, Champions League-chasing Nottingham Forest have been linked with a move for Bellingham in the summer, while Bundesliga mainstays RB Leipzig are keen on offering a similar German route to the one his brother Jude Bellingham went on, which has led to the England international being a global figure and plying his trade with Real Madrid.

It remains to be seen whether Jobe will go down a similar path that his older brother took, and Prutton has issued his thoughts on what his next steps should look like.

David Prutton issues caution to Jobe Bellingham over RB Leipzig links

Speaking exclusively to Football League World, pundit David Prutton is unsure if RB Leipzig are the club to help take Jobe Bellingham’s career to the next level, but has insisted his next move will be crucial in order to achieve global superstar status.

Prutton said: “Jobe’s brother has obviously blazed the trail in Germany and his career has gone from strength to strength. Whether that works with Jobe, I don’t know.

“I’d like to say I know a lot about RB Leipzig but unfortunately, I don’t, so I’m unsure whether it’ll be a good move for him, how competitive they are in the Bundesliga, what they can do domestically and in Europe, but I know the next phase of development is very important for him.

“He’s growing in stature week on week. He’s still a young player getting the minutes and games under his belt for Sunderland, a team having aspirations of Premier League promotion, but it’s probably too easy of a comparison with his brother Jude, who went to the Bundesliga and ends up as a global superstar. Whether he’s on the same trajectory, time will tell.

“I’m not sure on the quality of the Bundesliga, how good the teams are or how he would fit into that. If the finances fit, there’s a potential move there, which opens his mind up to different cultures and languages, but fundamentally, I don’t know if it’s the right move for him at this stage.”

Jobe Bellingham should set firm sights on Sunderland promotion

Despite all the transfer noise in the background, Sunderland still have a fantastic opportunity to win promotion and return to the Premier League, which would see Jobe Bellingham realise his top-flight ambitions with a club that has shown so much faith in him at a young age.

Bellingham’s focus should solely be on helping the Black Cats get back to the top-flight, with time available to make a decision over his future before and during the summer transfer window.

Sunderland will be hoping to keep hold of Bellingham by returning to the Premier League, but if they remain in the Championship, a sizeable fee from his sale could help bolster their squad and strengthen them for another top-flight push next season out of the second tier.