Three winners and three losers as Jobe Bellingham nears Sunderland exit amid Bundesliga transfer talks

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Jobe Bellingham looks set to depart Sunderland this summer after helping secure Premier League promotion with Championship play-off final victory.

Regis Le Bris’ side secured Premier League promotion in dramatic circumstances, with their 2-1 comeback win over Sheffield United in the Championship play-off final, which restored their top flight status after an eight-year absence.

As the Wearside tears are wiped and the red smoke settles, attention now turns to the summer transfer window, which is poised to be the most crucial in recent Sunderland history.

Five Sunderland players could have played their final games under Le Bris, the most headline-grabbing of which is Jobe Bellingham.

Following the play-off final win, Bellingham travelled to Germany for transfer talks with Eintracht Frankfurt.

Bellingham looks set to depart the Black Cats for the Bundesliga, and EFL Analysis has dissected the three winners and the three losers amid his seemingly imminent Sunderland departure.

• READ MORE: Source of Sunderland’s success is obvious after Championship play-off triumph, they have done the ‘spectacular’

Three winners as Jobe Bellingham nears Sunderland exit after play-off final win

Sunderland transfer team

Following the Premier League promotion, the pressure has ramped up on Sunderland’s transfer team to have a successful summer transfer window.

Sunderland are set to bank a staggering fee after their top flight promotion, which becomes official later in the summer, but will not be able to blow all of that on transfer fees in the current football economic climate of financial fair play rules.

Banking a substantial fee for Bellingham will be a benefit to the club’s transfer team as Roma loanee Enzo Le Fee will now become a permanent signing, for a fee in the region of £20 million, after the club’s promotion activated the clause in his contract.

The Black Cats shelled out a reported £1.5 million initial fee, which has risen to £3 million, to his boyhood club Birmingham City for Bellingham, in the summer of 2023.

With a fee in the region of £30 million being touted for Bellingham, if he is sold to one of the interested Bundesliga sides, it would constitute a healthy return on investment by the Sunderland transfer team that can be reinvested into a handful of other signings this summer.

Nectarios Triantis

In the Sunderland squad, one player who could benefit from Bellingham’s imminent exit is Nectarios Triantis, who spent the 2024/25 campaign on loan at Scottish Premier League outfit Hibernian.

Triantis was included in the SPL Team of the Season after his impressive campaign at Hibs, with the central-midfielder notching nine goal contributions in 34 starts as David Gray’s side finished third.

Earlier this season, Triantis’ agent warned Sunderland he wouldn’t be a “bit-part player” next season, and the Australian international will be betting on himself to take up Bellingham’s mantle in the Black Cats’ engine room after his “dominant” breakout loan spell in the Scottish top flight.

Birmingham City

Birmingham City returned to the Championship following their record-breaking 111 points tally season and will be offering eye-watering sums for new signings this summer.

If Bellingham’s move to German giants Dortmund, RB Leipzig or Eintracht Frankfurt materialises for £30 million, the Blues will receive a portion of the profits.

EFL Analysis’ Chief Football correspondent Graeme Bailey has confirmed that Birmingham’s 15 percent sell-on clause is active, and will see the Blues receive a £4.5 million windfall to their transfer kitty should Bellingham depart Wearside this summer for that £30 million fee.

• READ MORE: Source of Sunderland’s success is obvious after Championship play-off triumph, they have done the ‘spectacular’

Three losers as Jobe Bellingham nears Sunderland exit after play-off final win

Regis Le Bris

Sunderland boss Le Bris is the obvious loser with Bellingham’s impending move to the Bundesliga.

Bellingham has been a mainstay in Le Bris’ first season in charge, with his presence and output in the heart of Sunderland’s midfield crucial to their promotion.

Via Sky Sports, Le Bris has said of Bellingham: “He’s still a young player with the ability to play in many different roles.

“But I like him as a No 8, because I think he’s an offensive midfielder. He can express his power, his ability to run and his ability to press – to link defence and attack.”

Without Bellingham, the Black Cats’ promotion aspirations would have been far more difficult, and his absence will be sorely felt next season.

Sunderland fans

Not only will Le Bris miss the presence of Bellingham next season, the red-and-white faithful will too.

The former Blues youngster has become a firm fan-favourite in his two years on Wearside, endearing himself to the fanbase in his 90 games in the Sunderland shirt.

Similarly, Bellingham has consistently labelled the Wearside faithful as some of the best supporters in the country, and those fans will be gutted not to see him feature in the top flight for Sunderland after playing a pivotal role in the promotion.

Jobe Bellingham

With red-and-white tinted glasses on, Bellingham himself could end up regretting his move to the German top flight.

The comparisons will persist with him following in Jude’s footsteps, especially if the move to Dortmund materialises over the other Bundesliga outfits chasing his signature.

Bellingham is adored on Wearside by the Sunderland faithful, playing in a system in which he can exhibit his dominance in all thirds of the pitch which saw him scoop Championship Young Player of the Season.

Securing Premier League promotion would be the happiest note possible to depart on, but it begs the question why Bellingham would not want to enjoy the fruits of his labour, and prove himself in the toughest league in world football.