Sources: Sunderland chief Speakman lands stunning £700,000 Bellingham windfall
Sunderland sporting director Kristjaan Speakman is due to pocket a remarkable £700,000 from Jude Bellingham's record-breaking transfer from Birmingham City, Football Insider has learned.
The former Birmingham academy manager was among many individuals who negotiated a cut of the remarkable deal that took the midfielder to Borussia Dortmund last summer.
Bellingham moved to the Bundesliga giants for a fee Sky Sports claim was a guaranteed £25million rising to £30m with add-ons depending on appearances, achievements and milestones.
It would be assumed by Birmingham fans, and many outside of the game, that the Championship club pocketed all the cash.
But the transfer was far more complicated than that, and several individuals key to Bellingham's development personally benefited.
A Birmingham source has told Football Insider that their former academy manager Speakman "got a huge amount of money".
He is said to have been due £700,000 as part of the transfer, although it is not known if he has yet received it.
Speakman bid farewell to Birmingham after 14 years last December, just months after the Bellingham transfer.
This site broke the news on 3rd December that the 41-year-old was in advanced talks to become the League One club's new technical director.
The appointment was subsequently confirmed by Sunderland the following day.
Bellingham has made a big impact at Dortmund since become the most expensive 17-year-old in the game's history.
He has made a remarkable 23 starts among 35 appearances in all competitions in his debut campaign.
The wonderkid has also won two senior England caps, with his latest coming in last Thursday's 5-0 World Cup qualifier win against San Marino.