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“No regrets” – Jobe Bellingham, Birmingham City claim made after huge Sunderland AFC transfer windfall
Selling Jobe Bellingham Was the Right Call for Birmingham City – Even If He’s Now Thriving
By Chris Gallagher
47 minutes ago | Football League World – Terrace Talk Series
Birmingham City made the right decision in selling Jobe Bellingham, even though the midfielder has gone on to shine at Sunderland and recently secured a high-profile transfer to Borussia Dortmund.
Like his older brother Jude – now a star at Real Madrid – Jobe came through the academy at St. Andrew’s. He made 24 league appearances in Birmingham’s royal blue before moving to Sunderland in a deal initially worth £3 million.
That transfer has proved beneficial for the younger Bellingham, who became a key figure for the Black Cats over the last two seasons. He played a pivotal role in their promotion to the Premier League and was named the Championship’s Young Player of the Year.
Missed Millions? Not Quite
Jobe’s rise attracted interest from several top European clubs, with Borussia Dortmund ultimately sealing a deal worth up to £31 million for the England youth international.
Although Birmingham included a sell-on clause in their original agreement with Sunderland, some fans questioned whether the club let go of a future star too soon — especially given the significant fee now involved.
But FLW’s Birmingham City fan pundit Aaron Bastable insists there are no regrets.
“No regrets with Jobe leaving,” Bastable said. “As talented as he is, I don’t think he would’ve become the same player if he’d stayed. At the time, we weren’t in a position to give him consistent game time.”
He pointed out that Birmingham were battling relegation when Jobe left, making it difficult to develop young players properly in a high-pressure environment.
“When you’re in a dogfight every week – and we were relegated shortly after – you simply can’t afford to carry developing players,” Bastable added.
There were other factors, too. George Hall was in top form, limiting Jobe’s opportunities. And being Jude’s younger brother came with added scrutiny.
“There was always the weight of the name. Leaving helped him step out of that shadow. I’m not saying we’re a bigger club than Sunderland, but being away from St. Andrew’s gave him space to grow without that constant comparison.”
In the end, Birmingham received around £6–7 million from the deal — a figure that made sense given their financial struggles and league position at the time.
Looking Ahead
It’s understandable that fans would’ve liked to see Jobe fulfill his potential at St. Andrew’s. But the club he left is very different from the one now pushing forward with a fresh vision and new ambitions.
Birmingham City will aim to rebuild and develop future stars, knowing that sometimes, the best move for both club and player is to part ways at the right time.
