When it came to the fee they asked for Jobe Bellingham during the summer transfer window, Sunderland made the right choice.
That’s according to Sunderland supporter Jack Austwicke of Football League World, who is optimistic that the midfield player will stay at The Stadium of Light for the upcoming campaign.
Bellingham just joined the Black Cats for the 2018–19 season, paying an alleged £1.5 million to leave his position as Championship rival Birmingham City.
The 18-year-old enjoyed an impressive debut season, scoring seven goals in 47 appearances in all competitions, and is now already being linked with a number of Premier League clubs.
| Jobe Bellingham 2023/24 Championship stats for Sunderland – from SofaScore | |
|---|---|
| Appearances | 45 |
| Goals | 7 |
| Shots perGame | 1.2 |
| Assists | 1 |
| Pass Success Rate | 87% |
| Tackles per Game | 1.3 |
| Balls Recovered per Game | 3 |
| Duel Success Rate | 47% |
In response to that, Sunderland appear to have placed an asking price on Bellingham, that could seemingly go down well among their fan base.
Sunderland fan pundit reacts to Jobe Bellingham valuation
According to reports, Tottenham of the Premier League has reportedly contacted about a possible deal for Bellingham.
Crystal Palace and Brentford, two more elite teams, have reportedly expressed interest in the midfield player this summer.
It is said that in retaliation, Sunderland will reportedly seek a minimum of £20 million in order to acquire Bellingham in the forthcoming transfer window.
In light of the Premier League’s interest in Bellingham, the Black Cats appear to be keen to hold onto him for the upcoming campaign.
It appears that Austwicke is pleased with his team’s decision to adopt that approach and thinks it will be sufficient to keep the midfield player with the team through the summer.
He acknowledges, though, that it has made him ponder how much the club could want for Jack Clarke, another player who has drawn interest from rival teams.
The Sunderland supporter responded as follows when questioned by Football League World if he believed the team had overvalued him or if £20 million was a reasonable asking price.
“I do think it’s a fair price but I think it’s one that says ‘if we want £20million for Jobe Bellingham then what on Earth do we want for Jack Clarke who’s right now, five times a player?!
“But I mean we’ve had one year of Jobe, he’s got a lot of time ahead of him, and he’s proven and shown a lot of class and top performances.
“Sometimes inconsistent but I think that’s expected for a 18-year-old going into a tough league. I think he’d be silly to leave to be honest, and I’d be sad to see him go so early, I think he’d benefit from another season in the Championship.
“But it remains to be seen. I don’t think we’ll let him go. I think we’ll be very strict to keep him and I think he’d be happy to stay for now.”
Bellingham’s future at the Stadium of Light is assured through the conclusion of the 2026–2027 season, since it was rumored last summer that he would ink a four-year contract with the Black Cats.
Six points above the relegation zone, Sunderland finished the previous season in 16th place in the Championship table.
After Michael Beale was fired in February, they have yet to appoint a long-term managerial successor.
Black Cats are taking the right stance over Jobe Bellingham
It does feel as though this is a sensible approach for Sunderland to take over their asking price for Bellingham.
The 2023/24 campaign was certainly a promising start to life at The Stadium of Light for the midfielder, who at 18-years-old, still has plenty of time to improve with experience.
As a result, he does have the potential to become a valuable asset for the Black Cats, if he stays there another few years.
That of course, means they are going to want to get value for money if he does move on, and £20million would allow them to do that.
It would also ensure they have plenty of funds available to strengthen the rest of their squad while the window is open.
They are also not under any obligation to sell Bellingham this summer in order to keep him for nothing due to his contract circumstances.
They can therefore feel comfortable asking for a price that some might consider high for a player in the midfielder’s circumstances.
Considering everything, it makes sense for supporters of Sunderland to be happy that their team has established this kind of appraisal for Bellingham.
