Jobe Bellingham weighs in on striker debate by revealing his preferred position

Jobe Bellingham has had his say on the debate over his best position, and he doesn’t think it’s as a centre forward.

Bellingham has started almost every game for Sunderland this season despite being just 18 years old.

Those starts have come in a variety of positions, though, including as a central striker. Sunderland caretaker boss Mike Dodds, who knows Jobe well from their Birmingham days, talked him up as a centre forward after the win against West Brom, saying he has a ‘knack’ for being in the right place at the right time in the box.

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Jobe’s brother, Real Madrid and England star, Jude Bellingham, described him as a ‘thoroughbred striker’ earlier this month.

However, much as Jobe recognises his ability to play up front, it’s not where he wants to play.

"I know playing box-to-box is what I enjoy the most, because you can get stuck in and drive forward," he told Sky Sports.

"I can show more of what I'm capable of in that position, but I do think I have a good skillset as a striker or a No 10.

"I have an internal desire to score goals, because it's something I want to do. But it has never come from anywhere else. It is a healthy pressure. A motivation."

Jobe was given a lot of trust when he first arrived by Tony Mowbray, who immediately made him a mainstay of his team at Sunderland.

Mowbray lost this job on Wearside last week after a poor run of results. Jobe admitted it was a ‘shock’ to see him go, but he is immensely grateful to the 60-year-old.

"He'll be a big miss as a person around the place,” he said. “We loved playing under him and the fans loved him, too.

"He was such a good person, and he wanted to see all of us improve every day as players and people.

"He made me a more mature player in a short space of time. He took away pressure on matchdays for us, and it was such a good feeling.

"You just feel like you're going out there and expressing yourself. I'm really grateful I got to work with him."

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