Bellingham broke two records as he became the second most expensive signing in Dortmund's history and also the highest transfer fee Sunderland have ever received for a player. The 19-year-old has followed in his older brother Jude's footsteps by making the move to Germany as a teenager which often allows young talent to thrive in European competitions and learn more about the game.
The deal, worth an initial 32m euros (£26.96m) plus 5m euros (£4.2m) in add-ons represents Bellingham’s quality, who much like his brother, has a knack for leading a side to success. The 19-year-old spoke on his move and admitted that he cannot wait to get started in the upcoming Club World Cup which sees the Bundesliga side face Fluminense, Mamelodi Sundowns and Ulsan.
“I’m very happy to be a Borussia Dortmund player now and to fight for titles together with this great club. I want to play my part in celebrating success with these great fans here and will work on myself and with the team every day. And I’m very happy that I’ll be wearing the black and yellow jersey at the FIFA Club World Cup.”
Dortmund Sporting Director Sebastian Kehl also explained the reasoning behind signing Bellingham, especially ahead of the Club World Cup where rotation will be crucial to allow players time to rest and recover.
“We’ve known Jobe for several years, and of course we have followed his progress very closely. He has taken another huge step forward in his development over the last year, and even at the age of 19 he has become a real leader. His commanding presence in central midfield is remarkable, and he will improve our team in various systems.
“ We’re delighted that we were able to complete this deal before the FIFA Club World Cup so that we can see Jobe in our colours for the first time in the USA. He’s fit as a fiddle and raring to go – he’s determined to forge his own path at Borussia Dortmund and make his mark on how we play, and we’re confident that he will do exactly that.”