Man Utd swoop for English star ‘makes perfect sense’ as he’ll solve long-term issue -Reports

Man Utd swoop for English star ‘makes perfect sense’ as he’ll solve long-term issue -Reports

According to reports, Manchester United’s possible acquisition of Jobe Bellingham “makes perfect sense,” as the Sunderland star may revitalize their midfield.

Before making his debut for Birmingham City’s first team, Bellingham, like his older brother Jude, went through the academy. Before joining Sunderland in July 2023, he made 26 senior appearances for Birmingham.

This season, the central midfielder has been outstanding for Sunderland, contributing four goals and three assists over 23 appearances as the Black Cats fight for promotion to the Premier League.

Both Manchester United and Arsenal have expressed interest in Bellingham as a result of his elegant displays, and the two Premier League powerhouses are expected to begin talks on a January trade.

The England U21 star has reportedly decided to stay put this month, though the summer could be a different matter entirely.

Sky Sports pundit Don Goodman has now suggested United engineer a move for Bellingham to take their midfield to the next level. The area has been a problem for several recent managers including Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Erik ten Hag.

“Unequivocally, I would be staying at Sunderland for the rest of this season if I was Jobe Bellingham,” Goodman said (via the MEN). “Manchester United have been linked with a move for him in the summer and I think that makes perfect sense.

“He’s a midfielder who can do literally everything. He can play the deep role, conventional or advanced. He can even play as a false nine. He can pass, he can dribble, he can run, he can tackle, he can create and he can score goals.

“There’s been so much criticism over Manchester United’s lack of athleticism in midfield, so a move for Jobe makes sense. It might be a big step up and a gamble but he’s 19 and is only going to get better.

“He ticks every box for Man Utd and while it’s a different level, you just need to look at how his brother stepped up from Birmingham City to Borussia Dortmund. From his brother, we know that Jobe comes from a grounded family who give them both a lot of support.

“My advice to him would be, see the season out at Sunderland and you could be a Premier League player with them. If not, there will be lots and lots of opportunities on the table in the summer.”

United and Arsenal will face plenty of competition for the 19-year-old if Sunderland fail to get promoted, though. Recent reports suggest Bellingham wants to follow in his brother’s footsteps by heading to Europe and taking a bold next step in his career.

Dortmund would love to sign the younger Bellingham after playing a key role in Jude’s development into a world-class star