Sunderland: Crystal Palace, Jobe Bellingham update revealed as Michael Olise windfall looms
- Crystal Palace not pursuing Sunderland’s Jobe Bellingham, focusing on other targets after Olise’s departure windfall.
- Bellingham’s successful Championship debut season not enough to convince Palace due to high fee and readiness concerns.
- Sunderland planning busy summer with new coach, looking to retain key players like Bellingham for promotion push in the Championship.
Crystal Palace are not yet ready to step up their interest in Sunderland’s Jobe Bellingham.
According to Alan Nixon, the Eagles are not looking towards the teenager as they look to reinvest the money from Michael Olise’s departure back into Oliver Glasner’s side.
Olise is set to sign for German giants Bayern Munich in a deal worth a reported £50.7 million.
The 18-year-old made 45 appearances in the Championship for Sunderland, contributing seven goals and one assist, with the team finishing 16th in the table (all stats from Fbref).
Jobe Bellingham transfer latest
Bellingham has attracted a lot of attention with his performances in the second division since making the switch to the Stadium of Light last summer.
The midfielder joined Sunderland in a deal worth around £3 million from Birmingham City, having broken into the Blues’ first team squad at just 16-years-of-age.
Two players are being targeted by the top flight club at this stage, but Bellingham is not on their radar.
The youngster has made 69 appearances in England’s second tier of football between his time at Birmingham and Sunderland.
His debut campaign with the Wearside outfit saw him cement himself as a regular starter, having made most of his appearances for Birmingham off the bench.
Sunderland’s busy summer plans
Sunderland have now officially appointed a new head coach after a protracted search process, with Régis Le Bris taking the reins of the first team squad.
The Frenchman will have a lot of work on his hands immediately, with the transfer situation surrounding several key players to be decided, including Bellingham.
Jack Clarke, Pierre Ekwah and Trai Hume are other players being linked with a move away from Sunderland this summer.
Le Bris will also be aiming to make improvements to his squad ahead of the Championship season, with the club eyeing a promotion push next year.
Bellingham boost is a good start for Le Bris
This will be music to Le Bris’ ears as he gets started on work at Sunderland, as Bellingham will surely be a key player in his squad.
The 18-year-old was a standout player for the Black Cats last year, so keeping him will be an important part of their summer business.
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