A big update has emerged on Sunderland and their plans for the summer transfer window...
What's the talk?
Craig Hope has revealed in an article for the Daily Mail that the club are attempting to snap up the brother of Borussia Dortmund talent Jude Bellingham.
The reporter tweeted: "Exclusive: Sunderland invited Jobe Bellingham & his family to Stadium of Light to watch recent home game as they explore ambitious move to sign Birmingham City teenager, younger brother of England star Jude."
In the corresponding article, it is claimed that Kristian Speakman has a close relationship with the brothers' parents and is said to have played a key role in Jude's development as Birmingham's academy manager before joining the Black Cats.
Sunderland will be hoping that his prior experience with the family will give them a boost in their pursuit of the 16-year-old gem.
Alex Neil will be delighted
Black Cats head coach Alex Neil will surely be delighted with this update, as it shows that the club are prepared to invest in the future.
It proves that Speakman is keen to develop the academy, and the potential for players to break through into the first-team, by improving the standards within the youth sides.
Sunderland are in the League One play-off final later this month, and a win would surely strengthen their chances of signing the youngster. They would be competing in the same division as Birmingham, which means that they could both offer him Championship football.
Bellingham has played in two Championship matches for Birmingham this season, coming off the bench against Preston and Blackburn. This illustrates the immense potential that he holds, as he has shown enough in training to prove that he is ready to compete at first-team level despite being in his GSCE year.
His 18-year-old brother Jude is valued at £67.5m by Transfermarkt and has been capped 12 times by England. If Jobe can follow in his sibling's footsteps, then Sunderland could be about to land a masterstroke in the market...
Neil would love to have another talented prospect to work with in the years to come. Bellingham may not make an immediate impact on the senior squad, but he could be a player who develops over time and then breaks into the Scot's XI in two or three seasons.
Therefore, the head coach will be buzzing with Speakman's attempts to snap up the midfielder from Birmingham and will be hoping that a deal can be agreed ahead of the 2022/23 campaign, irrespective of the league in which his team will be competing.
AND in other news, Forget Roberts: Sunderland "warrior" with the "heart of a lion" was the real play-off hero...