Sunderland are braced for significant transfer interest in Jobe Bellingham after Crystal Palace emerged as major contenders for this signature this summer.
Per Fabrizio Romano, the Premier League side have made the 18-year-old a key target in their summer transfer window. Bellingham made 47 appearances across all competition last season, in what was his full season of senior football. Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner is said to have approved Bellingham as a target and director of football Dougie Freedman is leading the pursuit. Palace have had significant success in recruiting from the EFL in recent seasons, with Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze key players in their strong end to the Premier League campaign. Adam Wharton, who Palace signed from Blackburn Rovers in the January window, has already won his first England call-up and is said to be attracting interest from Bayern Munich.
The length of Bellingham’s contract was not revealed when he signed for the club last summer but it is understood still to have multiple seasons left to run, and so it will take a significant fee if Sunderland are to be tempted into a sale.
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