Italian football clubs are showing a keen interest in Sunderland’s young talent, Jobe Bellingham. The 18-year-old, who joined from Birmingham, has been impressive this season, appearing 39 times for his team. His performance has not gone unnoticed, with Lazio reportedly eager to bring him to Serie A.
The trend of Italian teams scouting English Championship players is growing, with Lazio also keeping tabs on Jack Clarke, previously of Leeds United, despite having previous offers turned down. Scouts have been regularly observing Bellingham, Clarke, as well as Morgan Whittaker of Plymouth and Jonathan Rowe of Norwich, with potential offers anticipated.
Atalanta and Fiorentina have shown interest in Jordan James of Birmingham, while Charlie Cresswell, who has returned to Leeds, was previously linked with a move to AC Milan. Additionally, Inter had been following Alex Scott before his transfer to Bournemouth.
This pattern indicates Italian clubs’ recognition of the Championship as a fertile ground for recruiting promising English footballers.
A scout working in Italty, who wished to remain anonymous, has provided insight behind the craze, telling The Mirror: “The Championship has a big record for generating talent and it’s a fast-paced league with lots of matches.
“There is a feeling that it is underrated in England and has produced many top players that now play in the Premier League but the talent is not hugely expensive.
“It’s not just about Jude but English players have also been successful in Serie A, guys like Chris Smalling, Ruben Loftus Cheek, Fikayo Tomori and Tammy Abraham.
“They did not come directly from the Championship but these players also did not receive the appreciation they deserved in England.”