Nottingham Forest and Brighton join Man Utd and Chelsea in race to sign Sunderland star | OneFootball

Jobe Bellingham has been linked to several clubs ahead of the summer transfer window

Brighton and Nottingham Forest have joined the race to sign Sunderland star Jobe Bellingham this summer.

According to Teamtalk, there are six clubs eyeing a move for the midfielder at the end of the campaign.

Bellingham has cemented himself as a key part of Régis Le Bris’ side this year, with the team pushing for promotion to the Premier League.

The 19-year-old has contributed four goals and three assists from 34 appearances in the Championship, with Sunderland fourth in the table.

Jobe Bellingham transfer latest

It is understood that Manchester United, Brentford, Chelsea and Tottenham are all keeping tabs on the Championship player.

However, Brighton and Nottingham Forest have also been mentioned as Premier League clubs with an interest.

Bellingham has a contract with the Black Cats until the summer of 2028, giving Sunderland a strong negotiating position if concrete offers arrive this year.

However, failure to gain promotion to the top flight would further fuel speculation over his future, with the team cut adrift of the battle for a top two spot after their 3-0 loss to Coventry City last weekend.

It was reported by The Sun in January that Bundesliga outfits Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Dortmund are also eyeing the youngster.

It has been claimed by Football Insider this month that any deal involving Bellingham could cost as much as £20 million.

Jobe Bellingham’s importance to Sunderland

Bellingham arrived at Sunderland in the summer of 2023 from Birmingham City and immediately cemented himself as a regular starter in the side.

The teenager made 45 league appearances in his first campaign at the Stadium of Light, including 43 starts.

He has so far scored 11 times from 89 games in the Championship, with Sunderland now competing for a place back in the Premier League.

Next up for the Wearside outfit is a home clash against Millwall on 29 March.

Bellingham speculation won’t go away

Speculation surrounding Bellingham will not be going away anytime soon, and failure to gain promotion will only see it increase tenfold.

It will be hard for Sunderland to hold onto the midfielder this summer if they are still in the Championship given how well he’s performed at just 19.

A move to Brighton or Forest would be quite exciting, especially as the former have shown themselves as a great next step for younger players looking to get top flight experience.

Both clubs could also be competing in Europe next year, possibly even in the Champions League, which will make them more immediately attractive than the likes of Man United, Tottenham or perhaps Chelsea.