Tottenham have become the latest Premier League club to express an interest in signing Sunderland midfielder Jobe Bellingham according to reports.
Bellingham had a good first season with the Black Cats following his £3m move from Birmingham last summer, scoring seven times in 47 appearances in all competitions.
Sunderland finished a lowly 16th in the Championship, but Bellingham, the younger brother of Real Madrid star Jude has attracted interest from the Premier League.
Spurs enter race for Jobe Bellingham
The Guardian report that Sunderland are desperate to keep hold of Bellingham, with the club expected to demand in excess of £20m for the England under-19 international.
The Report states Spurs along with Crystal Palace and Brentford are believed to be the English clubs that have expressed an interest.
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It’s not just clubs from England who are interested, with his brother Jude’s former side Borussia Dortmund believed to have expressed an interest, but The Guardian adds Bellingham is unlikely to follow in his brother’s footsteps as he’s keen to pursue his own path.
Sunderland want to keep hold of the 18-year-old because the club believe he is a crucial part of the squad that is aiming to win promotion to the Premier League next season.
Bellingham is understood to still have three years remaining on his contract, and Sunderland will want to get as much money as possible if they do sell, given Birmingham are believed to have a 15% sell on clause.
Spurs are looking to strengthen their midfield options this summer, with Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Giovani Lo Celso expected to leave the club, and they have been strongly linked with a move for Chelsea’s Conor Gallagher, with the Blues said to value the 24-year-old at around £50m.
It’s set to be a busy summer in north London as Ange Postecoglou looks to add the relevant quality to his squad in an attempt to get Spurs back into the Champions League having finished in fifth two points behind Aston Villa.