Chelsea launch ‘GAME-CHANGING’ Bellingham bid

Robin Bairner

• 10 Mar 2025 08:15 GMT
• 8 min read

News

Chelsea have launched a transfer bid for Jobe Bellingham that is claimed could be decisive in the signing of the young Sunderland midfield star.

The Blues have built their project around signing bright young talent, and with the Stamford Bridge side now on the lookout for a midfielder to strengthen Enzo Maresca’s ranks, they are looking towards the 19-year-old Sunderland ace.

READ MORE: Chelsea ready to cut their losses on star as Real Madrid launch big-money move

STATS

Jobe Bellingham

M, DM (C)

Sunderland

Jobe Bellingham

M, DM (C)

Sunderland

Championship

2024/25

• 32

  Games

• 4

  Goals

• 4

  Assists

View all stats

Arsenal, Manchester United, Tottenham and Crystal Palace have all been linked with Bellingham, the younger brother of Real Madrid’s Jude, but there has been a twist: the teenager wants to move abroad.

At least, that was the case before Chelsea stepped up there interest with a bid that has been described as “game changing” for the midfielder by The Sun (via The Metro).

Sunderland, meanwhile, are hopeful that Bellingham will remain at the club if they secure promotion to the Premier League, which looks a possibility via the play-offs. The Black Cats are in full control of the situation as the midfielder is under contract until 2028.

FootballTransfers has revealed that there is a gentleman’s agreement in place that will allow Bellingham to leave in the summer should a suitable bid come in. This has been projected around the €24 million (£20m) mark, virtually identical to the player’s Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) of €23m.

READ MORE: Real Madrid take advantage of SPECIAL FIFA rule to launch new Trent bid

Jobe Bellingham: How he compares to Jude

There is no doubt that Jude Bellingham is the stronger of the brothers in terms of potential, but that’s not to say that Jobe cannot become an accomplished player at Premier League level, too.

SciSports, the data analytics experts, mark him as having a potential of 121.4, which would make him the best player in the Chelsea squad currently, eclipsing even Cole Palmer (who has a higher projected ceiling of 139.4).

Bellingham vs. Bellingham: Potential

It’s also worth pointing out that Jobe is a very different play from Jude. While the older Bellingham brother has been given almost a free role at Real Madrid at times, his younger sibling plays in a more box-to-box manner so is naturally less decisive.

He is rated as the second-biggest box-to-box midfield prospect in the world currently, lagging only Tottenham Hotspur’s Archie Gray.