The key factors that will determine Jobe Bellingham's Sunderland future amid Crystal Palace transfer interest

Sunderland are braced for summer transfer interest in Jobe Bellingham after reports on Thursday night confirmed interest from a number of Premier League clubs.

You can read the latest on what's happening at this stage HERE, but what factors might be in play as the summer develops? Here, we take a look at the key pros and cons for both parties as they weigh up their next steps..

The club

Pros

Profit While an obvious point to make, it's also clearly the only reason why Sunderland would ultimately sanction a sale if (and it remains very much an if at this stage) the player ultimately decided there was an option on the table that he wanted to pursue. In just one season, Sunderland would already be looking at a significant profit on the modest fee they paid Birmingham City a year ago. Birmingham will be entitled to some of that due to sell-on clauses, but it would still be a significant injection of funds for the Black Cats. That could have two important consequences for Sunderland. One is that it will very obviously give them greater funds to reinvest in players and wages, but the other is that would also strengthen their hand even further when it came to resisting any bids for other key players in the squad.

Cons

A core player lost There were times last season when many felt Jobe Bellingham was being overplayed, and that his performances were being impacted by the sheer amount of football he was being asked to play in what was ultimately still his first full campaign of senior football. While there did look to be merit in that argument at times, it's also undeniable that he was Sunderland's best summer addition and a dependable performer in multiple positions across what was a very challenging season. Losing him would mean losing one of the relatively few players under contract who you could depend on week in, week out last season and history shows that isn't always straightforward to replace. Goals Will Jobe Bellingham be a striker, an attacking midfielder, or a central midfielder? At this stage it's not entirely clear, but the 18-year-old has shown an eye for goal in his first campaign in red-and-white. he's done that from a variety of positions, showing good instincts inside the box but also scoring some superb long-range efforts. Seven goals is a solid effort for a player of his age and a stat you'd expect him to build on next time out. And while Sunderland will absolutely look to strengthen in the final third this summer, losing his goals would at the moment be a major blow to a side where converting the chances they created was the biggest issue across the last campaign. It becomes an even bigger issue when you consider the potential departure of Jack Clarke this summer, who was by a considerable distance the top scorer last time.

Value not yet anywhere near its peak

Sunderland would net a big profit if they were to sell this summer, but how much more might Bellingham be worth a year down the line? With another campaign of senior football under his belt and more goal contributions to show for it? Sunderland knocked back some significant bids for Clarke last summer, believing he was ready to kick on again and therefore potentially worth a lot more than what was on the table. This summer, they could feasibly land double what they were being offered last summer. Bellingham's contract status means they should be able to hold out unless the bid is huge, so there shouldn't really be any need to sell. The player's view might end up being key.

The player

Pros

Top-level football It's unlikely that Bellingham would move if he isn't going to play regularly, or at least without a strong development plan that sets out a clear path to regular football. It's not necessarily the case that he would be moving just purely to be a squad player, however. Crystal Palace, who are one of the clubs most interested in a deal (though far from the only one), have had a lot of success recruiting from the EFL and those players have quickly worked their way into the team. Michael Olise, Eberechi Eze and Adam Wharton are all regulars who could as a result land elite moves over the next couple of years.

Stability

Sunderland's strategy for developing young players is clear and isn't going to change, and for a while they'd really changed their image of being a volatile club that wasn't easy to play at. This was a bruising season, though, and the quality of the football and the team declined significantly in the final few months. You wouldn't be surprised if many of the players were unsure about what the future holds. Hopefully that will change quickly with the appointment of a new head coach and a strong transfer window, but for now there are undoubtedly question marks over Sunderland's direction. Finance A top-tier move would clearly be hugely lucrative though in truth, it's hard to imagine that being a key factor for Bellingham. He has a long career ahead of him and looks destined to play at the top level, whenever that might be. A hugely impressive and mature young footballer, his decisions will almost certainly be based on where is best for him from a footballing perspective.

Cons

It's a huge risk

Regardless of Sunderland's head coach search, it's pretty clear that Bellingham will be a regular in the team next season. That gives him the chance to build his reputation even further and if he continues to perform consistently and chip in with goals, he'll have even more options next summer and will have a far better chance of going into a top-tier side as an immediate contender for the starting XI. That was part of why Jack Clarke didn't push for a move last summer and it's paid off handsomely for him so far. To move would be to risk regular football and that could lead to his progress stagnating at least in part.

Could be harder to find a settled role

By his own admission, Bellingham is still trying to find that role in which he'll settle for a number of years. Does moving to the top tier while still on that journey of exploring and understanding his game potentially risk him struggling to pin down a regular place and position? He seems more likely to find that in an environment where he's already settled and much of the coaching staff know him well.

Leaves Sunderland chapter unresolved

Bellingham moved to Sunderland for a fresh challenge and because of the club's strong pathway for youngsters, but it has been clear how much he's taken to the club and the area. He genuinely loves it at the club and while he'll obviously make the best decision for his future career, might he feel he has unfinished business if he leaves after such a disappointing end to the season for the team more generally?