Sunderland fans have a lot to say about Jobe Bellingham choosing Borussia Dortmund, Jude comparisons ‘will be worse’

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Jobe Bellingham has given his priority to join Bundesliga giants Borussia Dortmund from Sunderland this summer as negotiations take place over transfer fee.

After weeks of speculation, following their victory in the Championship play-off final, Sunderland are now resigned to losing one of their top talents in the summer transfer window.

EFL Analysis exclusively revealed in May that Borussia Dortmund were in pole position to sign Jobe Bellingham this summer, despite interest from fellow Bundesliga sides RB Leipzig and Eintracht Frankfurt.

Ahead of the play-off semi-finals, officials from Dortmund jetted into England for transfer talks with Bellingham’s entourage, and now the 19-year-old midfielder is poised to follow in his brother Jude’s footsteps.

Bellingham’s decision to leave Sunderland, days after their historic Wembley win that won Premier League promotion, has seen the Black Cats faithful have a lot to say about the move.

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Sunderland fans react as Jobe Bellingham set for Borussia Dortmund switch

Sunderland have already made one sale this season, with Tommy Watson joining Brighton after his £220m parting gift winner in the play-off final.

Now, Bellingham is poised to join Watson through the Sunderland exit doors. Sky Germany reporter Patrick Berger posted on X: “Jobe Bellingham has BVB agreed and given his approval for a transfer.

“The next step is for Dortmund and Sunderland to reach an agreement. Transfer fee is expected to be around €30m (£25m).

Bellingham had multiple offers to leave Sunderland last season, but turned those down in favour of helping the Black Cats’ revival from 16th-place in 23/24 to promotion winners this term.

Sunderland fans had accepted Bellingham would likely leave this summer, but it is the destination that has sparked debate amongst the Wearside faithful on social media, in the wake of the latest news.

One Sunderland fan said on social media: “I thought Jobe didn’t want to follow in Jude’s footsteps, so why Dortmund?”

Another agreed: “It doesn’t make sense for him to leave the biggest national league, with us he would have prominence and more visibility.”

One fan said: “Deciding to go with BVB is a mistake,” as another fan replied to that post: “He’s going to sit on the bench at BVB too”.

“For someone who wants to create his own career not copy his brother seems odd to do exactly that instead of have a go in Premiership, something his brother hasn’t done.”, argued one Black Cats fan.

A sixth Sunderland fan posted: “He’s frightened of the PL. Why strive to play in the best league in the world & not even give it 5 months & see how we get on.. is his value going to plummet in 5 months, nope, will he become a bad player that nobody wants.. nope.”

Another argued: “People are only questioning it because he’s on record not liking the Jude’s brother stuff now that will be justified, constant and 1000x worse.”

Bellingham will now follow in his brother Jude’s footsteps by making the transfer to Dortmund, despite his best efforts to forge his own identity out of the Real Madrid star’s shadow; those comparisons will only ramp up.

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Why Jobe Bellingham didn’t wear second name on Sunderland shirt

The Sunderland midfielder, now set for Dortmund, wanted to create his own identity rather than being compared to his brother after both departed boyhood club Birmingham City.

Former Black Cats boss Tony Mowbray, Bellingham’s head coach in the midfielder’s maiden Sunderland season, revealed why. As per Sky Sports, he told the press in 2023: “He’s trying to create his own identity,

“He doesn’t want to live off the back of his brother’s name; he wants to be the footballer that he is and show people what he can do.”

This season, Bellingham cemented himself as a Championship player who could play for England in the future, after playing a pivotal role in Sunderland’s promotion charge and scooping the Championship’s Young Player of the Season award in the process.

Jobe has surpassed Jude’s EFL legacy, with his hero status set in stone on Wearside after the historic promotion.

However, many Sunderland fans now believe that Bellingham is destined to succumb to the shadow of his Galactico elder sibling, by also swapping English football for a move to the Signal Iduna Park.