Sunderland reject €25m bid from Borussia Dortmund for Jobe Bellingham as Black Cats star made to wait to follow in brother Jude's footsteps

Dortmund are relentless in their pursuit of Bellingham, and after the Black Cats turned down their first offer, they are set to return with an improved package in a bid to get the deal over the line, as reported by Sky Sports Germany. The German giants are believed to have already settled on a five-year deal with the player and are now in talks with Sunderland to thrash out a deal as quickly as possible.

A revised offer from Dortmund is expected soon, with a total package of €30m (£25.2m/$34m) – including £21m upfront and £4.2m in performance-related bonuses – seen as the next step in negotiations. Whereas, The Mirror reports that Sunderland are standing firm, reportedly insisting that the full £33.7m (€40m/$45m) release clause be triggered before they agree to part ways with Bellingham. While Dortmund had hoped to capitalise on a gentleman’s agreement believed to exist between the player and Sunderland that would facilitate a move for a lower fee, that path appears to have hit a roadblock.

With the mini summer transfer window deadline fast approaching, Dortmund are now under pressure to reach a compromise quickly if they wish to secure the 18-year-old’s services in time. Any deal struck before Tuesday’s cut-off would allow Dortmund to register Bellingham for the upcoming Club World Cup, a valuable showcase opportunity for both the club and player. Despite the current impasse, Dortmund remain hopeful that a breakthrough is close, with an improved bid expected to be tabled imminently.

Bellingham has been named in England’s Under-21 squad on Friday for the upcoming UEFA European Championship. He is scheduled to travel with Lee Carsley’s team to Slovakia, where the tournament will be held. However, his international involvement could be cut short if the transfer materialises before Tuesday, as Dortmund would not be obligated to release him for the duration of the tournament and instead fly him to the United States.