Premier League side Newcastle United are reportedly amongst a host of North-East outfit interested in signing 17-year-old wonderkid Jobe Bellingham from Birmingham City.
According to a report from TEAMtalk, Newcastle United are among clubs keen to sign Birmingham City’s highly-rated youngster Jobe Bellingham in the upcoming January transfer window.
Following Jude Bellingham’s progression from Championship to the Champions League with Borussia Dortmund and a full-fledged England international, recently starring in the World Cup, there has been a lot of speculation about the potential of his brother Jobe, who is currently plying his trade at Birmingham City in the Championship.
Jobe has so far followed in his brother’s footsteps by playing for Birmingham. After making his Championship debut at the age of 16 last season, the Stourbridge native has already made 12 appearances for the Blues across all competitions this season.
However, like his older brother is a sought-after commodity, Jobe is also a hot demand in the EFL, and per Teamtalk, Birmingham City have a growing battle on their hands to keep Jobe at the club.
The uncertainty surrounding takeover bids for Birmingham could mean the Blues are forced to sell some of their assets when the transfer window opens in January, and 17-year-old Bellingham is one of them.
The Championship outfit have a number of promising young players who have drawn transfer interest this season, including George Hall and Jordan James, with the former strongly linked with a move to Elland Road.
Despite interest from Germany, it’s thought the teenager is ‘likely’ to stay in England, and it seems like the youngster could be heading to the north-east, with Newcastle United, Sunderland, and Middlesbrough all eager on his services.
While he still has 18 months left on his current deal at St. Andrew’s, the club may have little choice but to listen to offers for the young prospect. Newcastle United could be in for a busy month as Eddie Howe and the recruitment team look to bolster their squad to consolidate their top-four position in the Premier League.
However, it’s not just players to immediately add to the first team’s starting XI that are reportedly on the club’s agenda, with bright young players from across the UK and the globe consistently linked with a move to the North East. Jobe Bellingham has now joined the long list.
Bellingham is clearly talented, but he faces the difficult task of trying to live up to the hype established by his brother, who performed admirably at the World Cup in Qatar.
There has been speculation about a move to the Premier League for some time, with Liverpool also interested, which shows it’s not just hype; he has a high ceiling, and he’s a player that could turn out to be a very decent Premier League player in the near future.
The Toon, though, could face some stiff competition if they decide to look at bringing in the Birmingham City starlet, with perennial rivals Sunderland, Middlesbrough, and Scottish Premiership side Rangers also keen on the player.
While the asking price the Blues could demand for Bellingham is still unclear, if the price starts to rise, Newcastle will undoubtedly have the upper hand, while their exciting project is too good an opportunity to pass up these days.
