Expert: Jobe Bellingham would be of no interest to Man United if it wasn't for his brother, trust me

03/26/2025 03:00 AM

Sunderland will not let Jobe Bellingham leave for a cut-price fee this summer amid interest from Manchester United.

That’s according to ex-United and Blackburn chief scout Mick Brown, who remains well-connected in the game, as he exclusively told Football Insider that the Stadium of Light outfit will drive a hard bargain for Bellingham.

The 19-year-old’s displays for Sunderland in their Championship promotion push have attracted several Premier League and European clubs, who see Bellingham taking a similar path to his brother Jude.

United are the latest club to express an interest in the Black Cats’ number seven with Chelsea and Tottenham seen as the favourites to sign Bellingham, but a fixed price tag is yet to be determined.

Despite falling off the pace in the hunt for automatic promotion to the Premier League, Sunderland look set for a play-off place, and success via this route could drive up Bellingham’s valuation significantly.

Sunderland to command sizeable Jobe Bellingham transfer fee

Football Insider reported on 17 February that Crystal Palace are another one of the clubs keen on bringing in Bellingham this summer, and a bidding war for the teenage playmaker looks inevitable.

Brown, who has a wealth of experience in top-level player recruitment after over a decade at Man United during their most successful period, thinks Sunderland will be in no mood to make Bellingham’s potential transfer a straight-forward one.

“Well, they would know all there is to know about him – he would’ve had to improve a lot since the last time I saw him, to be at that level,” Brown told Football Insider.

“[It] depends whether he’s available, but I can’t see Sunderland falling over backwards to do everybody a favour, and letting them have him for next to nothing.

“What I know about him [from] when I last saw him, I don’t think he’s of that standard yet, but he’s obviously come on a bit.

“If his brother wasn’t his brother, I don’t think there would be that interest in him, trust me, but everybody seems to think ‘well there’s one in the family, there might be two’.”

Jobe Bellingham future hinges on Sunderland prospects

Though Brown doesn’t see Bellingham as a ready-made Premier League player just yet, the sheer level of interest from top-level sides suggests that he’s destined for the exit door if Sunderland fail to go up.

Bellingham can of course play a major role in deciding whether or not the Black Cats do return to the top-flight after eight seasons away, and could still earn a move even if promotion is sealed this May.

In either case, Sunderland‘s efforts to maximise Bellingham’s transfer valuation will no doubt be helped by at least four Premier League sides, all with plenty of financial backing, being interested in their asset.

Sunderland therefore hold all the cards if promoted as they aim to re-establish themselves in the Premier League, but if not, they’ll still be keen to ensure a bidding war drives Bellingham’s price even higher.

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