Sunderland face a fight to keep starlet Jobe Bellingham as European giants Lazio eye a summer move.
Even though the January window is about to end, the Black Cats still have to fight to keep their stars. Last month, Sunderland prevailed over several Premier League and European teams to retain many first-team players at the Stadium of Light.
Michael Beale held kept his leading scorer, c, despite intense competition for his services. Bellingham, an 18-year-old whose performances at Sunderland attracted the attention of several teams, was another first-team player linked away.
But it appears that the battle is far from ended. Bellingham has been connected to other teams once more, even though the transfer market is closed. Although the midfield player only recently moved to the team from Birmingham, reports indicate he won’t be staying long at the Stadium of Light.
Lazio add Jobe Bellingham to summer target list
In recent months, Lazio seems to have taken a particular interest in Sunderland. The Italian team reportedly had two bids for the Sunderland attacker rejected when Clarke was first linked to them in January.
According to Sunderland Nation, Lazio is considering moving to Bellingham for the summer.
According to the report, Lazio will have a larger budget in the summer, meaning that both Clarke and Bellingham are still targets for the Italian team. The midfield player is also highly sought after by Real Madrid, Tottenham, and Chelsea.
But the star player for Sunderland needs regular games, which might prove to be a roadblock for any possible departure.
Promotion push for Sunderland now vital this season
In the last few years, Sunderland has assembled a strong team. The team is presently among the top in the Championship and has a strong chance of making the playoffs once more after spending years in League One.
However, if the team hopes to hang onto its best players, promotion this season is essential. Although Michael Beale’s team was able to stave off suitors in January, if the club stays in the second division in the summer, this will not be as simple.
Many of Sunderland’s stars may decide to stay with the team if they play in the Premier League. With the team only one point out of the playoffs heading into a winnable match against Plymouth on Saturday, this is very feasible.
If Beale hopes to guarantee promotion at the end of the season, he will undoubtedly need to get the most out of his player.