Borussia Dortmund ‘Paid Too Much’ For Premier League Midfielder

Premier League side Sunderland have been credited with a lucrative piece of business after Jobe Bellingham’s fee was questioned in Germany.

Former midfielder Didi Hamann believes Borussia Dortmund overpaid for the 19-year-old, with the transfer now under fresh scrutiny after a slow start to life in the Bundesliga.

German verdict puts the spotlight on Bellingham’s price

Bellingham joined Dortmund in an early summer deal worth around €30.5m following strong interest from elsewhere in Europe. Excitement around the move was immediate, however discussion has since shifted to his usage and adaptation after a testing opening to the campaign.

The situation intensified when his father, Mark, confronted club officials following a 3-3 draw with St Pauli, a matter the club handled internally.

Hamann, speaking via BILD, offered the bluntest view yet on the figure paid to prise the midfielder from the Stadium of Light. He said he had canvassed opinion across the channel and the consensus backed his stance that the fee was high for a player still developing at first-team level.

“I spoke to people in Great Britain, and they said they paid far too much money for him,” said Hamann.

The German outlet also reported suggestions that Eintracht Frankfurt’s interest helped push the price higher, with the player reportedly flown in for talks at one stage. For Sunderland, the end result was a premium sale, achieved amid competition, that further underlined their growing reputation for extracting strong value in the market.

From Wearside to Westfalen, pressure and potential collide

Bellingham’s role and ceiling remain central to the debate. At Sunderland he was a versatile, forward-driving midfielder with clear upside, which made him attractive to data-led recruiters. At Dortmund he must now translate promise into consistent output under heavier scrutiny, with the weight of the fee and his surname adding layers of expectation.

None of that changes the arithmetic for the Black Cats. A nine-figure Championship sale is rare, and this one arrived without the final-season promotion bump that can inflate prices. It follows a broader pattern at the club, where buy-to-develop models have helped Sunderland sell well while remaining competitive on the pitch.

Whether the fee ultimately looks steep will depend on how quickly Bellingham settles, how he is deployed, and how he progresses across the season. For now, the conversation centres on value, perception and the patience required when a teenager steps into a Champions League environment.

Read the original reporting at Sport Witness.

Site Opinion

The verdict may feel harsh in September, yet it underlines how quickly narratives form when a big fee lands on young shoulders. Sunderland have banked a price that reflects potential as much as production, which is exactly how a smart selling club should operate.

Dortmund’s history of developing talent suggests Bellingham will be afforded time, but the early noise shows how fine the margins are when expectation meets investment. If the midfielder grows into the role, the number will fade into the background and this will read like another Dortmund success story. If adaptation drags, Sunderland’s negotiating stance will look even stronger.