Following in his brother's footsteps, Jobe Bellingham (20, Sunderland), the younger brother of Jude Bellingham (22, Real Madrid), has ultimately chosen a transfer to Borussia Dortmund. Dortmund is ready to embrace another Bellingham with the system that nurtured Jude into a world-class player.

German outlets 'Sky Sports' and 'Bild' reported on the 3rd (Korean time) that "Jobe Bellingham has decided to transfer to Dortmund. The player has informed the club of his decision, and now Dortmund and Sunderland are preparing to finalize a transfer fee agreement of approximately €30 million (about 47.3 billion won)."

The transfer appears to be certain, as three reporters from the local area have joined forces for coverage.

Jobe, like Jude, grew up in the Birmingham City youth system and moved to Sunderland in 2023, playing over 90 matches and scoring 11 goals with 4 assists over two seasons. Notably, he was selected as the 'Young Player of the Year' in the Championship for the 2023-2024 season, replicating the trophy that his brother Jude won five years ago. After leading Sunderland to promotion to the Premier League, he chose to venture to Germany for the next step in his career.

Dortmund has been actively pursuing Jobe for some time. Manager Niko Kovač, the technical director, and the head scout all traveled directly to Newcastle in the UK where Jobe was, and recently, Director General Sebastian Kehl held a secret meeting with Jobe in Ibiza. Jobe and his family visited Germany, touring not only Dortmund but also the facilities of Eintracht Frankfurt, but ultimately chose Dortmund.

In fact, Frankfurt and RB Leipzig were also very keen on Jobe. Frankfurt actively sought him out by directly showcasing their training facilities and club vision, while Leipzig would have been a strong competitor had it not been for their failure to qualify for European competitions. However, Jobe chose the philosophy of Dortmund, where his brother Jude once played, and the system that 'nurtures young talents into world-class players.'

According to local reports, the transfer fee is estimated at around €30 million. From Sunderland's perspective, losing a key player who led them to promotion in the Premier League is complicated, especially since Birmingham City, where Jobe spent his youth, is entitled to receive 15% of the transfer fee.

Jobe's transfer is not simply a straightforward choice of following his brother. He quickly gained recognition for his potential, scoring 5 goals in 11 matches in the U-18 Premier League, and has since developed into a versatile midfielder with experience in the Championship, Premier League 2, FA Cup, and Carabao Cup. He possesses versatility to play as a central and attacking midfielder, as well as a winger and defensive midfielder.

There are mixed opinions surrounding the transfer. Some express skepticism, saying, "Isn't he receiving excessively high expectations just because he is Jude Bellingham's brother?" Jobe himself has made his position clear, stating, "I don't like being compared to my brother. I want to carve my own path."

Dortmund is a club that aims to provide Jobe with the opportunity to build a career as 'Jobe Bellingham' rather than 'the clone of Jude.'

A decision is imminent. According to local reports, Dortmund plans to finalize official negotiations with Sunderland within this week. Once a contract is signed, Jobe will prepare for the new season wearing Dortmund's uniform.

Jude spent three years at Dortmund, growing into a world-class player before transferring to Real Madrid, where he lifted the UEFA Champions League trophy for the 2023-2024 season. Now, all eyes are on how far Jobe, who is on the same path, can go.

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