- Dortmund sign Jobe Bellingham for €33m, record upfront fee
- Follows brother Jude’s path, joins from Sunderland at 19
- Club World Cup debut vs Fluminense on June 17
Borussia Dortmund have completed the signing of English midfielder Jobe Bellingham from Sunderland on a five-year contract worth €33 million, with an additional €5 million in performance-based bonuses.
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EKO HOT BLOG reports that the deal, finalised on Tuesday—the closing day of the FIFA Club World Cup transfer window—marks the most expensive upfront fee in Dortmund’s history.
Jobe, 19, is the younger brother of Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham and now follows a similar path by switching from England’s Championship to the Bundesliga club. Jude made the same move in 2020, transferring from Birmingham City to Dortmund.
“I’m very happy to be a Borussia Dortmund player now and to fight for titles together with this great club,” Jobe said after the official unveiling. “I want to play my part in celebrating success with these great fans and will work on myself and with the team every day.”
The England U-21 international played a key role in Sunderland’s promotion push last season, contributing four goals and three assists across 40 appearances. Staying consistent with his individual brand, he will wear ‘Jobe’ on his jersey—a move aimed at forging his own identity away from the Bellingham name.
Dortmund’s Managing Director for Sport, Lars Ricken, expressed high hopes for the new signing:
“Jobe is an extremely talented footballer with an impressive level of maturity and intelligence on the pitch for someone so young. His professionalism, dynamism, and hunger to succeed will make him a real asset to our team.”
While Jobe’s transfer doesn’t surpass the club’s overall record fee—set by Ousmane Dembélé’s €35 million move from Rennes in 2016—it does top the €23 million paid for Jude Bellingham four years ago.
The transfer sets up the exciting possibility of a Bellingham brothers clash at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup in the United States, with Dortmund potentially facing Real Madrid in the later rounds. Dortmund’s campaign begins against Brazilian side Fluminense on June 17.
