Jobe Bellingham Seals Record-Breaking Move To Borussia Dortmund From Sunderland.
Borussia Dortmund have secured the signature of Sunderland’s rising star Jobe Bellingham, with the deal confirmed by transfer expert Fabrizio Romano. The 19-year-old midfielder, younger brother of Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham, will join the Bundesliga giants for an initial fee of €33 million (£27.8 million), with an additional €5 million (£4.2 million) in potential add-ons, marking a club-record sale for Sunderland.
The agreement, finalised after Dortmund’s initial €20 million bid was rebuffed, also includes a savvy 15% sell-on clause, ensuring the Black Cats will benefit from any future transfer of the talented Englishman. This move not only shatters Sunderland’s previous record for an outbound transfer—set at £25 million when Jordan Pickford joined Everton in 2017—but also positions Jobe as one of Dortmund’s most expensive acquisitions, eclipsing the £25 million paid for his brother Jude in 2020.
Jobe Bellingham, a key figure in Sunderland’s recent promotion to the Premier League via the Championship play-offs, has made 90 appearances and scored 11 goals since arriving from Birmingham City for £1.5 million in 2023. His performances, blending defensive grit and box-to-box dynamism, caught the eye of several European clubs, including Eintracht Frankfurt and RB Leipzig. However, the lure of Dortmund—where his elder brother Jude rose to prominence before a £88.5 million move to Real Madrid—proved irresistible.
The transfer represents an “excellent addition” for Borussia Dortmund, a club renowned for nurturing young talent into global stars, as seen with the likes of Erling Haaland, Jadon Sancho, and Jude Bellingham. Jobe, currently with England’s Under-21 squad for the European Championship in Slovakia, is expected to undergo a medical with Dortmund as early as Tuesday or Wednesday, with the German side keen to have him available for the FIFA Club World Cup starting 15 June.
For Sunderland, the deal provides a significant financial boost as they prepare for their return to the Premier League after an eight-year absence. The 15% sell-on clause could prove lucrative if Jobe continues his upward trajectory in Germany. Former Sunderland boss Tony Mowbray praised the teenager’s desire to carve his own path, noting in 2023, “He doesn’t want to live off the back of his brother’s name; he wants to be the footballer he is and show people what he can do.”
As Jobe Bellingham follows in his brother’s footsteps, donning Dortmund’s iconic yellow and black, fans of both clubs will watch eagerly to see if he can emulate Jude’s success and bring fresh energy to a side aiming to reclaim their Bundesliga standing. Another Bellingham in Dortmund signals the start of an exciting new chapter—both for the player and the club.