Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly laying the groundwork to sign 17-year-old Birmingham City midfielder Jobe Bellingham in the summer.
Tottenham are interested in signing 17-year-old midfield sensation Jobe Bellingham, the younger brother of England star Jude, according to Football Insider. Spurs expect a bidding war for his signature come the summer and are already working on beating any competition with a package to lure him to North London at the end of the season.
Jude Bellingham has evolved into one of the best midfielders in world football since leaving Birmingham City for Dortmund in 2020. He is also expected to be at the centre of a huge transfer tussle in 2023 following his impressive performances for the club and country in the last 12 months or so.
Before his move to Germany, Jude made 44 appearances for the Blues at a tender age. And his younger brother, Jobe, is already on the same path to stardom, having been fast-tracked into the senior ranks of the Championship outfit.
Jobe Bellingham has enjoyed a breakthrough season at Birmingham, making 14 appearances in the Championship so far this campaign for the Blues. He has also represented England 12 times at the youth level. He has slotted in with ease and performed well.
An attacking midfielder with quick feet, vision for a pass, and an eye for goal, Birmingham’s latest wonderkid is certainly attracting attention with his performances and has been linked with a move to several top clubs in recent times, including Liverpool, Borussia Dortmund, and Newcastle United.
Tottenham, for one, have been monitoring his performances for some time and have noticed an improvement and consistency in the performance levels of the midfielder, as they now want to steal a march on their fellow Premier League rivals.
With the Tottenham academy struggling to supply a conveyor belt of promising players to the first team, the Lilywhites must look outside in order to land the brightest talent in the country. Jobe is certainly one of them and has all the tools to develop into a quality player like his brother.
If they were to get their hands on the teenager in the summer, Antonio Conte’s side might as well loan him to a Championship club straightaway to continue his development, and gain regular first-team experience.
While the player penned a contract until 2024 at St. Andrews as recently as September, the Championship outfit are thought to be under financial pressure, with multiple failed takeover bids leaving Birmingham facing a familiar period of uncertainty. If the situation remains as it is and Bellingham refuses to sign an extension, they could be forced to sell him at the end of the season.
So, it is going to be very difficult for the Blues to keep hold of Bellingham beyond this summer. And a departure does seem on the cards in the coming months. With the youngster bound to get some attractive offers on the table from several English top-flight sides, including Tottenham, it seems like this is one to keep an eye on in the near future.
