SHOCKING NEWS:Jobe Bellingham has finally made his official departure announcement…

SHOCKING NEWS:Jobe Bellingham has finally made his official departure announcement…

Borussia Dortmund had such a good time with Jude Bellingham that they are reportedly interested in Jude Bellingham’s younger brother, Jobe. That’s according to Patrick Berger, who has reported that BVB are in contact with Sunderland’s 19-year-old attacking midfielder and his family.

Jobe Bellingham has been integral to Sunderland’s success this season, playing in almost 85% of available minutes in the Championship. The Wearside club have rode a wave of excellent form to the top of the Championship table, with 31 points after 15 games. While BVB haven’t made any concrete moves yet, reports suggest they are closely monitoring Jobe’s development.

I understand the appeal. Jobe looks a lot like his older brother, and he plays like him, too. Despite his age, Jobe never seems out of place in the physically demanding Championship, sharing a similar build to Jude. He’s a very natural athlete, willing to get his hands dirty out of possession, and he has the same grace on the ball that makes Jude a joy to watch. While Jude came through as a central midfielder who has shown the capability to be equally effective in more offensive roles since joining Real Madrid, Jobe’s skillset has seen him operating a little further forward at Birmingham and Sunderland. He’s an impressive specimen for a 19-year-old kid, but he isn’t quite as physically (or mentally) imposing as his brother. When watching Jobe in previous seasons, it was clear he was talented, but it wasn’t always clear what role would best suit his skill set.

Player development is non-linear, however, and it looks like he’s taken a step this season, contributing a lot more out of possession and operating a little deeper in Sunderland’s system. He seems to be settling into a central midfield role similar to Jude’s role at BVB.