Crystal Palace to beat Chelsea to Bellingham signing - Romano

Tom Weber

Updated: 30 May 2024 21:20 BST
4 min read

Crystal Palace are in talks to sign Jobe Bellingham, according to Fabrizio Romano.

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The younger of the two Bellingham brothers has been plying his trade with Sunderland since leaving boyhood club Birmingham City for the Black Cats last summer.

Just like his brother Jude at Real Madrid, Jobe was an instant success at the Stadium of Light, even if his goalscoring has not been quite as impressive as that of the Galactico.

Jobe finished the bygone Championship campaign with seven goals and an assist to his name, impressing with his technical ability and versatility as he is capable of playing in an attacking midfield role and as a striker.

Now, he could already make the step up to the Premier League.

Bellingham a wanted man

Previously linked with the likes of Chelsea, Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid, it seems that Bellingham's first taste of top-flight football will not come at a club quite of that stature.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Crystal Palace are in talks to sign the 18-year-old from Sunderland this summer. Coach Oliver Glasner is keen on the teenager and sporting director Dougie Freedman, who recently snubbed interest from Newcastle and Man Utd by extending his deal, is trying to make it happen.

It wouldn't be the first time this year that Palace beat a club like Chelsea to a highly-rated English midfielder, with the Eagles also beating stiff competition to sign Adam Wharton from Blackburn in January. The 20-year-old has since gone on to become a star under Glasner.

In addition to Palace, The Athletic reports that Brentford are also keen on Bellingham. The Bees, however, are yet to make a formal approach for the versatile attacker, which suggests that Palace currently hold the advantage in the race to sign him.