Borussia Dortmund’s search for an attacking midfielder has seemingly taken precedent in the last few months, with performances from both Germany international Julian Brandt and USMNT player Gio Reyna not meeting standards for a club of Dortmund’s stature.
In the case of Brandt, lacklustre performances have led to the club reportedly questioning his ability to be a consistent difference maker on the pitch, which has led to the possibility of Brandt leaving this summer.
As for Reyna, his performance off the bench this season have been decent to a degree, with the American providing goals and assists on occasion. There are sparks of genuine talent in his game but just like Brandt, he has been inconsistent. The current thought process seems to be for the club to find a buyer in the summer.
The winter break also saw Dortmund deal with drama surrounding their attempted signing of Rayan Cherki, a deal that largely fell through due to grievances aired by Lyon owner John Textor. Lyon’s unwillingness to negotiate in winter may see Dortmund return for the player in the summer, but the club seem poised to keep their options open.
According to Fichajes, Dortmund are said to be “ahead of the game” when it comes to the pursuit of Jobe Bellingham. The younger brother of former Dortmund star Jude Bellingham is no stranger when it comes to being linked with Dortmund, as the club have reportedly shown interest for a few years now, going back to when Jude still played in Dortmund colours.
Jobe, who currently plays for Sunderland, has four goals and three assists across 31 games for Sunderland in the English Championship. A versatile player, Bellingham has played as a defensive midfielder in 21 appearances, attacking midfielder in 11, and a central midfielder in 10 games within the course of his last 50 appearances. Much like his older brother Jude, he has shown an ability to play in numerous positions quite proficiently, something that Dortmund would indeed benefit from should they look to sign him in the coming months.
When it comes to whether Dortmund should pursue the player, the answer really depends on in what capacity he will be playing. He clearly is very capable of playing as an attacking midfielder, which is the predominant context within which we are looking at, and if Dortmund do sell both Brandt and Reyna, he may be a great versatile depth player Dortmund can integrate into the team with an eye on making him a permanent mainstay in the starting 11.
If Brandt leaves, signing a starting quality number 10 for instant impact will be very important, and while Jobe could certainly fit that role in the future, it would make more sense to bring him in to deputise behind a player more ready to start regularly in this position. Bellingham’s versatility could also see him find minutes in other positions across the midfield, as the eight and six positions both also need revamping in terms of depth and quality.
Ultimately any potential deal will also come down to how much Sunderland will want for one of their star players. Bellingham has a contract until 2028 that could be a stumbling block, but should Dortmund make substantial sales and cuts to their wage bill, there may be a reasonable pain threshold for them to abide by in conducting negotiations with the Championship side.
