Sunderland may be flying high in the Championship at the moment, but they are at risk of losing an influential figure in 2024, according to a new update.
Sunderland heading for Championship playoffs
The Black Cats equipped themselves impressively on their return to the Championship last season, arguably faring a lot better than many had expected. Tony Mowbray’s side only just missed out on a place in the playoff final, which was a great effort after being in League One the previous year, and big things were again expected this time around.
Sunderland haven’t disappointed in 2023/24 to date, sitting fourth in the table after 11 matches and picking up some superb victories, including a memorable 5-0 win at home to Southampton. It hasn’t been perfect, not least a shock 4-0 defeat against local rivals Middlesbrough at the Stadium of Light earlier this month, but Mowbray’s men look in a strong position to finish in the playoffs.
For that to happen, the Black Cats will need to keep all of their most influential players fit and in form for as much of the campaign as possible, and there are key figures everywhere you look, whether it be Dan Neil, Jobe Bellingham or Jack Clarke, to name just a few.
Now, a worrying exit update has emerged regarding one of the first names on Mowbray’s team sheet, acting as a possible major setback for Sunderland.
Sunderland transfer news: Bellingham linked with Real Madrid
A Bellingham to Real Madrid claim has emerged in a report from Spain, with billionaire owner Florentino Perez keen on bringing Jobe to the club to play with his brother Jude, who has made a stunning start to life at the La Liga giants.
It is stated that Perez “asked Juni Calafat to send his scouts to bring a full report of Mark and Denise Bellingham’s second son”, who “caught the attention of those present” when watching England’s Under-19s in action, not least because of his likeness to his brother in terms of style of play.
There is no doubt that this would be a massive blow for Sunderland, with Bellingham already such an important presence in the team, despite only being 18 years of age. Mowbray himself clearly loves him to won’t want to read a single sentence of the rumours, once saying of him:
“He is very mature for his age. He acts like a seasoned pro, and demands standards. Even in small-sided games, he wants to win. You can see he has a very focused, driven thought pattern on where he is going and how he is going to get there.
“And that is to try to be excellent in everything you do. It’s a great mentality. He is not in the team because of his name, it is football ability and his competitive edge and athleticism and technique.”
The lure of joining his brother at Madrid could obviously be great for Bellingham, however, allowing him to settle in easier, not to mention play for arguably the world’s biggest team, and Sunderland will just hope that he stays loyal to them for as long as possible.
Bellingham’s stats this season speak for themselves when outlining his importance, with starts coming his way in all 11 Championship matches, not to mention scoring twice and averaging 1.7 clearances per game.
