https://www.sunderlandecho.com/spor...rther-away-from-potential-summer-exit-4732097
Sunderland have reportedly fended off interest in Jobe Bellingham from Serie A side Lazio....
The teenager has been linked with several prospective suitors in recent weeks, including Premier League outfit Crystal Palace, but it is Marco Baroni’s side who have emerged as shock admirers of late.
Last month, Il Messaggero, as relayed by
TuttoMercatoWeb, suggested that Lazio had made initial contact with Sunderland to enquire about Bellingham’s availability after a move for ex-Manchester United forward Mason Greenwood collapsed.
At the time, the Rome club were reportedly told that the Black Cats value the 18-year-old at around £12.9 million, and that price tag is now substantiated further by
Corriere della Sera.
According to the Italian outlet, Lazio were informed of Bellingham’s asking price, and have since been waiting for Sunderland to lower their demands before pursuing a concrete approach for the midfielder. Since the Black Cats have held firm, however, it is understood that their continental counterparts are ready to quell their interest, with the player moving ‘further and further away’ from a transfer.
As far back as early June, reports have claimed that Sunderland intend to hang on to Bellingham during the current transfer window. In an update addressing apparent interest from Tottenham Hotspur, Brentford, and the aforementioned Palace,
The Guardian suggested that the Black Cats are ‘determined not to sell’, as well as stating that Bellingham’s actual valuation may lie closer to the £20 million mark in the estimation of club chiefs.