‘Dortmund dealt worrying Jobe Bellingham news as Sunderland exit nears’
Borussia Dortmund have been handed a warning as they close in on the signing of Sunderland star Jobe Bellingham.
The midfielder helped Sunderland win promotion back to the Premier League by notching four goals and three assists in 40 Championship appearances.
Football Insider have exclusively reported that Bellingham has verbally agreed terms with Borussia Dortmund.
Dortmund successfully secured Champions League qualification, but they have not won the Bundesliga title since 2012.
Dortmund warned that Jobe Bellingham is not the same as Jude
The German top-flight giants will hold lofty expectations for the Sunderland man, as Jude Bellingham was highly successful for Dortmund before joining Real Madrid in the summer of 2023.
Meanwhile, speaking live on talkSPORT [4 June] about the Black Cats man’s move from the North East to the Bundesliga, Danny Murphy said: “The reality is he’s not going to be Jude.”
The Madrid superstar scored 24 goals in 132 appearances for Dortmund before his big move to the Spanish capital.
Dortmund split over Bellingham signing
While the Sunderland man has proven himself as one of the best midfielders in the Championship this season, Murphy is not alone in his reservations about the 19-year-old’s move to Dortmund.
| Jobe Bellingham stats | Championship 2024/25 |
| Appearances | 40 |
| Goals | 4 |
| Assists | 3 |
In fact, while the Bundesliga side’s sporting director Sebastian Kehl wanted Bellingham, boss Niko Kovac prioritised fellow midfielder Ardon Jashari.
Jashari helped Club Brugge finish second in the Belgian top flight, while he also made 11 Champions League appearances for Nicky Hayen’s men this season.
The argument could be made that, while Bellingham helped Sunderland win promotion to the Premier League, it is too soon to expect him to have the same impact as his older brother in Germany, as alluded to by Murphy.
Dortmund’s move to appoint Kovac in February signals their intent to win silverware next term, as he won the domestic double with former club Bayern Munich following a successful 2018/19 season.
The Croatian also guided Eintracht Frankfurt to German cup glory in 2018, further demonstrating his trophy-clinching ability.