Borussia Dortmund have completed the signing of English midfielder Jobe Bellingham from Sunderland on a five-year contract until 2030, five years after bringing his older brother Jude to the club.
The Bundesliga side announced the €33 million ($37 million) transfer – their largest upfront payment for a player – on Tuesday, the final day of the Club World Cup transfer window.
The 19-year-old England U21 international expressed his excitement about joining the eight-time German champions: “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’s sporting leadership praised the acquisition, with Managing Director Lars Ricken stating: “Jobe is an extremely talented footballer with an impressive level of maturity and intelligence on the pitch for someone so young. We have no doubt that he’s the perfect fit for our philosophy of developing talented youngsters and giving them the opportunity to improve and establish themselves at the highest level. His professionalism, his dynamism and his hunger to succeed will make him a real asset for our team.”
The transfer creates the possibility of a brotherly face-off at this summer’s expanded Club World Cup in the United States if Dortmund meet Jude’s Real Madrid during the knockout stages. Jobe will wear his first name on his Dortmund jersey, as he did at Sunderland, to distinguish himself from his superstar brother.
Jobe’s move mirrors Jude’s path from England’s second tier to Dortmund, though the €33 million fee (plus €5m bonuses) surpasses the initial €23 million paid for Jude in 2020. Dortmund’s record transfer remains the €35 million for Ousmane Dembélé, though only €15 million was paid upfront in that deal.
The younger Bellingham arrives after an impressive Championship season with Sunderland, contributing 4 goals and 3 assists in 40 appearances to help secure promotion. Like Jude before him, Jobe was named Young Player of the Season in England’s second flight.
Sporting director Sebastian Kehl emphasized Jobe’s readiness: “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.”
Dortmund, who qualified for next season’s Champions League after a strong finish to their Bundesliga campaign, will debut their new signing in the Club World Cup opener against Fluminense on June 17. The acquisition continues Dortmund’s reputation as a hub for developing elite English talent, following in the footsteps of Jude Bellingham, Jadon Sancho and Jamie Bynoe-Gittens.
