Jobe Bellingham signs first professional contract with Birmingham City on 17th birthday

Birmingham City have confirmed Jobe Bellingham has signed his first professional contract with the club.

The Blues announced on July 16 that they had agreed terms with the midfielder for a professional deal upon him turning 17 on September 23.

Birmingham said on their official website: “With this milestone reached, he has officially penned terms on his first pro deal with the football club.

“Earlier in the summer, he signed a scholarship with Birmingham City and this season has made four first-team appearances, bringing his personal tally to seven in royal blue.”

Bellingham, who is the younger brother of England international and former Blues star Jude, has made four appearances for the club in all competitions this season.

He made his debut for Birmingham at the age of 16 in their FA Cup defeat to Plymouth Argyle in January last campaign, coming on as a substitute for Jordan James in the 70th minute.

The 17-year-old has represented the Three Lions at Under-16, 17 and 18 level, and is part of the latter aged team who are taking part in the Pinatar Cup in Spain against the Netherlands, the Faroe Islands and Belgium.

Jobe’s older brother, Jude left the Blues to join Borussia Dortmund in July 2020 for a reported £25m - the biggest fee spent on a 17-year-old at the time.

Now 19, Jude has 100 appearances for the German club, including 10 this campaign, scoring 13 goals and assisting his teammates on 18 occasions.

Birmingham retired the number 22 shirt following Bellingham’s departure to Dortmund, providing the following reason for doing so: “In such a remarkably short space of time Jude has become an iconic figure at Blues, showing what can be achieved through talent, hard work and dedication.

"His caring, humble and engaging off-the-field demeanour has also made him such an impressive role model.

“The 22 shirt has become synonymous with Jude, his rise to the first team aged just 16 years and 38 days and these qualities.

"And as such the club have decided it would be fitting to retire this number, to remember one of our own and to inspire others."