Sunderland have 'complete player' in Jobe Bellingham with special connection to fanbase

Regis Le Bris has described midfielder Jobe Bellingham as already, “a complete player”. The Sunderland head coach has had to cope without the talented 19-year-old in the past two matches and will have to do so again when the Championship action gets under way next weekend against Millwall and the New Den.

It’s perhaps no coincidence that in Bellingham’s absence, Sunderland drew both games, away at Preston North End and at home to Coventry City. Le Bris touched on how important the playmaker is and smiled: “The number 8 position is a good position for him because he can run in behind, he can play the triangle, he can shoot, he can score, he can defend, he can press – he can do many things.

“He is a complete player with a huge potential to discover again because I know with consistency and the way he can affect the game more is always key for him. He wants to improve every day, his standards are very high and sometimes his emotions are high too but he has managed that very well in his performances so far.”

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Bellingham even sat with away fans behind the goal at Preston and Le Bris said: “The connection with the fans is very important to us and I think he is very aware of that. In the stands, he felt something different, a new perspective which could be useful for the future. He told us afterwards the structure wasn’t so good so it was a good perspective and a new one for a coach, so we’ll see in the future.”

Bellingham has just got his first call-up for the England U21s and is on course to follow his brother Jude into the full squad in time.