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

Both Mike Dodds and brother Jude believe Jobe Bellingham could be a striker, but what does he think is his best 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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