Birmingham City near contract deadline as Jobe Bellingham transfer update emerges

Here are your Blues headlines on Friday, May 19…

Sunderland ‘set to sign’ Bellingham

Sunderland are reportedly set to sign Birmingham City teenager Jobe Bellingham for £3million.

The 17-year-old has long been courted by the Black Cats – who missed out on a place in the play-off final to Luton Town earlier this week – and reports now suggest a deal is imminent. Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano commented: “Sunderland are set to sign Jobe Bellingham. Bellingham will travel to Sunderland for medical tests in the next 10 days.”

Ex-Blues academy staff Kristjaan Speakman, Mike Dodds and Stuart English are now in situ at the Stadium of Light. Bellingham travelled to the north east to watch Sunderland’s play-off semi-final first leg with Luton last week.

Bellingham followed his older brother Jude out of Blues’ academy and into the first team. He has made 24 appearances in Blues’ first team this season and started the club’s final four Championship matches.

Head coach John Eustace has previously spoken of his desire to keep Bellingham around, but the next stage of the teenager’s development looks set to be with Sunderland.

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READ: George Hall addresses his Birmingham City future amid transfer interest

Blues approach contract deadline

There are seven senior players out of contract in total, but three – Nico Gordon, Troy Deeney and Jordan Graham – have options to extend. Blues have until Saturday to notify the trio whether they intend to take up the option to extend their contracts.

In the case of Graham, who joined the club two years ago from Gillingham, Blues haven’t yet signalled their intention. The former Aston Villa and Wolves winger started 12 Championship games last term and made 25 appearances in total.

BirminghamLive understands the option to extend Graham’s deal includes fresh salary terms. If the club opts not to exercise the option, they can still negotiate an extension with Graham on their own terms when he becomes a free agent.

JJ reflects on second season

Jordan James made further strides in his second senior campaign with Birmingham City and topped it off by making his senior Wales debut earlier this year.

James, who will turn 19 in July, has already made 53 Championship appearances after making his Blues debut as a 17-year-old under Lee Bowyer. He played 33 times under current Blues boss John Eustace last term, although the vast majority of those outings came as a substitute.

The highlight of his campaign was undoubtedly scoring a last-minute equaliser in the FA Cup tie at Blackburn Rovers in January. Blues had been in the midst of a difficult run, but they improved after that game to record back-to-back wins over Swansea City and West Bromwich Albion.

“I felt we were in a low point at that time and that goal lifted the whole team, and we went on a bit of a run,” says James. “That obviously wasn’t the only reason, but I felt we needed something like that as a team and it pushed us into a good spell.”

James started Blues’ first six league matches last term, but he only started a further three games in the Championship – and two of those came after Blues secured safety at Millwall in April. Still, James was taken to the World Cup by Wales head coach Rob Page and made his senior international debut in their 1-1 draw with Croatia in March.

“On an individual basis it has been a good season for me,” he added. “I got my first cap for Wales and that was a very proud moment for me. I haven’t played as much as I would have liked, but I think I have had an impact when I have played.”

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