JOBE BELLINGHAM has been tipped to be an “absolute monster” after he bulked up to compete in the Championship.
The 17-year-old is looking to follow in the footsteps of his older brother Jude, who has taken Europe by storm in recent years.
Big things are expected from the younger Bellingham brother, JobeRex
GettyJude Bellingham is already among the world’s best midfielders and could be set for a huge summer transfer[/caption]
The midfield ace began his career at boyhood club Birmingham and made such a huge impact the Blues retired his shirt when he left for Dortmund in 2020.
Jobe is also expected to do big things in his career and will be looking to make a bigger impact at Birmingham next season.
SunSport columnist Tory Deeney, who joined the second-tier side in 2021, has seen Jobe’s development up close and is excited for the future.
He revealed that the youngster was bulking up to be more of a physical presence on the pitch.
Deeney told Kammy & Ben’s Proper Football Podcast: “There’s a cluster of six or seven (at Birmingham) under the age of 22, Jobe being the youngest – he has just turned 17.
“He’s put on 10 kilos this year, he’s going to be an absolute monster just like his brother is.
“He is going to be unbelievably talented, you can’t deny that, but it is just going to take him a year or two longer than his brother. He’s in that shadow isn’t he? Wonderful kid, wonderful family.”
Despite his potential, Jobe has only made four starts within his 21 Championship appearances this season.
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Brother Jude made 41 outings during his extraordinary breakthrough 2019-20 campaign when he was just a 16-year-old.
Birmingham manager John Eustace has spoken about the importance of not shoving Jobe onto the frontline too early.
He told BirminghamLive last month: “There’s a lot of pressure on Jobe because of who his brother is and we have to protect him, and I have to protect him.
“I think he (Jobe) was 16 in the first half of the season and he’s turned 17. We are talking about very young players. It’s my job to develop them in the right way.
“Throughout the season Jobe has had very good minutes. We’ve put him in, we’ve pulled him out and rested him at times.
“In the last couple of appearances you can see how he’s grown and developed, and there’s still a hell of a lot more to come from him. We’re going to have a super player on our hands.”
Despite Lee Bowyer being unexpectedly sacked in pre-season, Birmingham have overcome the chaos to have a decent campaign and are set for a mid-table finish.