Sunderland ‘plotting ambitious move’ to sign Jobe Bellingham from Birmingham City

Sunderland are reportedly looking to sign Jobe Bellingham from Birmingham City this summer.

According to the Daily Mail, the League One club, who will face Wycombe Wanderers in the play-off final later this month as they seek promotion back to the Championship, invited Jobe Bellingham and his family to the Stadium of Light last month.

The report claims that Alex Neil’s side will almost certainly need to win promotion to England’s second tier for any deal for the 16-year-old to become a possibility.

Bellingham - the younger brother of England star and former Blues player Jude - was in attendance for a recent Sunderland home match and has spent time with sporting director Kristjaan Speakman.

Blues ‘on verge’ of takeover

Meanwhile, Birmingham are reportedly on the verge of a multi-million pound takeover.

According to The Telegraph, a British businessman has been granted exclusivity over a purchase of the club and is conducting due diligence over a potential £32 million deal to buy the club.

Sources have told the newspaper they are hopeful of a deal being completed within the next month.

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