Borussia Dortmund Confirms £27.8m Jobe Bellingham Transfer from Sunderland

Sunderland midfielder Jobe Bellingham has completed a club-record transfer to Borussia Dortmund for an initial fee of £27.8 million (€33 million), with potential add-ons raising the total to around €38 million, including a 15% sell-on clause. Bellingham, who played a crucial role in Sunderland's promotion to the Premier League, follows his brother Jude in joining Dortmund, where he will compete in the Champions League next season. Negotiations between the clubs involved visits from Dortmund's management and were reportedly conducted with mutual trust, though English sources suggest Sunderland held firm on a higher release clause. Dortmund aimed to finalize the deal promptly to register Bellingham for the expanded FIFA Club World Cup in the United States, scheduled from mid-June to July. The young midfielder expressed his gratitude to Sunderland fans in an emotional farewell letter, highlighting the strong bond formed during his two years at the club. Sunderland's sporting director remains confident that despite key departures like Bellingham's, the core squad will largely remain intact for the Premier League campaign.