Newcastle United are reportedly interested in signing Jobe Bellingham from Birmingham City.
That is according to TEAMTalk, who believe that the Magpies are one of six clubs chasing the talented teenager.
They report that two other North East clubs want to sign the 17-year-old, with Sunderland and Middlesbrough also keen. The other three clubs linked are Rangers, Bayer Leverkusen and Nice.
There is a big queue forming to snap Bellingham up – a young man who already has a big reputation despite only starting one league game in his career so far.
That is largely down to his older brother, Jude. He was one of England’s best players at the World Cup in Qatar, and is developing into an extraordinary talent at Borussia Dortmund.
Jude is now being linked with a big money move back to England, with Liverpool heavily linked with signing the 19-year-old.
For Newcastle, they are keen on signing the younger Bellingham, and he has been tipped for an incredibly bright future by his sibling.
Jobe Bellingham tipped to follow in his brother’s footsteps amid Newcastle interest
At 19, Jude Bellingham has scored at a World Cup, captained his side in the Champions League and had a squad number retired in his honour.
Jobe is next off the Bellingham conveyor belt, and Jude believes he can play at the highest level just like he is doing with Dortmund.
The England international recently spoke to UEFA’s official website, and discussed growing up and playing football with his brother.
“We had a patch of grass outside the house that we’d always go and play on,” he said.
“We’d be out there from the morning until night, especially in the summer, when we didn’t have school, and they would always end with us two as best mates or the worst enemies ever, really. The amount of times we came in with tears streaming down our faces are countless.
“Every game we played, we always said it was the Champions League final. We’d make up teams and make up stadiums that we’d play in. We must have played about 1,000 Champions League finals on that little patch of grass, so that was always the goal: to play at the highest level in the Champions League. I’m doing it, and I’m sure Jobe is going to get the chance to one day.”
Big signing if Newcastle can pull it off
According to TEAMTalk, it is looking likely that Jobe won’t be following his brother to a European club. They claim that a move to another side in England is looking likely, with Birmingham vulnerable to losing their hottest prospect given their ownership issues.
That could open the door for Newcastle to make a statement signing. Jobe Bellingham has a huge amount of potential, and if he is anywhere near as good as his brother then he is going to be a special talent.
Signing someone like Jude Bellingham is going to cost Newcastle too much money. But signing ‘the next Jude Bellingham’ is much more of a possibility.
It is the kind of signing that Dan Ashworth loves. Getting someone in at a younger age and helping them develop into a star worth five or 10 times what he initially cost.
There is a lot of competition for Bellingham’s signature, particularly from the North East. But given their enhanced reputation and position in the Premier League table, Newcastle must fancy their chances of beating Sunderland and Middlesbrough to a young man who is being tipped to become a top level player in the future.
Receive a digest of our best Newcastle content each week direct to your mailbox
