Former Birmingham City midfielder Jobe Bellingham could be given a chance to shine on English football's biggest stage - the Premier League - next year in a transfer move that would see him leave Sunderland in January, less than six months after leaving St. Andrew's.
The 18-year-old's departure to the Black Cats came during the summer after an agreed amount of playing time he was promised in order to further develop his rising talent. Having played just 602 minutes for the Blues last season over a span of 26 senior appearances and just six starts, his time at the Stadium of Light is already proving far more valuable to the youngster.
Sunderland boss Tony Mowbray has already handed him 16 consecutive starts to begin the season, and has highlighted the star's maturity on the pitch, something that Premier League clubs will no doubt be impressed by. "He acts like a seasoned pro, and demands standards even in small sided games he wants to win," he told reporters earlier this season.
"You can see he has a very focused driven thought pattern on where he is going and how he is going to get there. And that is to try to be excellent in everything you do. It’s a great mentality. It helps our team to have someone so young.
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"He is not in the team because of his name, it is football ability and his competitive edge and athleticism and technique. He works hard every day. As coaches we want to protect him in three game weeks so sometimes when he comes off it is to give him a break. We should just enjoy the journey with him and see where he gets to as time rolls on.
"He doesn’t want to be compared with his brother, but we have coaches here who helped his brother as a 17-18 year old. They can gauge where he is, and he has some amazing tools. If he listens, works hard and competes like he does he won’t go far wrong. He has confidence and belief and has a good football brain."
With his talents on full display, it'll be no surprise to see bids for him flood in during the January transfer window as teams in the top flight look to bolster their ranks for the second half of the season. It's in that timeframe that Premier League title contenders Tottenham Hotspur could make a swoop for the youngster.
It's reported that Spurs have been monitoring the star for a while now and that after midfield injuries to the likes of James Maddison, as well as Rodrigo Bentancur's long-term injury meaning he's still not fully fit, they look set to reinforce the middle of the park by bringing in Bellingham under Ange Postecoglou's wing.
With the star already netting three times for the Black Cats this season, a brace against Rotherham and a goal against his former club before the international break, it appears as though it could be time for the younger Bellingham to take another big step in the family business.
