Sunderland are allegedly close to agreeing a fee for Birmingham City’s Jobe Bellingham.
The Daily Mail have reported that Sunderland are nearing a £1.5 million deal for the midfielder plus add-ons.
Tony Mowbray’s side have been heavily linked with Bellingham over the past couple of months, with the teenager spotted in attendance at their play-off semi-final clash with Luton Town in May.
The 17-year-old enjoyed a promising breakthrough campaign for the Blues, making 22 appearances in the Championship.
Jobe’s impending departure comes a year and a half after his brother, Jude, left St Andrew’s for Borussia Dortmund for an initial £25 million.
While the Guardian have reported that the England international is close to an £88.5m switch to Real Madrid this summer, the Blues have remained eager to keep his brother at his boyhood club.
However, Birmingham City now look set to lose Jobe to Sunderland for a much lower fee than Jude’s eight-figure price tag.
The Daily Mail claims that John Eustace’s side had been holding out for around £2.5m from Bellingham’s impending departure after Sunderland had previously bid £1m.
However, the Black Cats will now cough up around £1.5m plus add-ons and a sell-on percentage.
Sunderland are bargain-hunting in Bellingham pursuit
Sunderland’s £1.5m pursuit of Jobe Bellingham is a credit to how far they have come.
The Black Cats have spent years overspending on mediocre players and getting robbed for their own stars.
However, the tables have now turned and it shows just how well Kyril Louis-Dreyfus has done since his arrival.
From splashing over £20m on Didier Ndong and Jack Rodwell to spending only a few mill on some of England’s most promising youngsters, Sunderland’s future is looking bright.
If the Wearside club can help Bellingham reach within touching distance of his older brother, then £1.5m could be the steal of the century.
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