Featured Image Credit: Getty
Topics: EFL Championship, Sunderland, Birmingham City
Matthew Holt
Sunderland midfielder Jobe Bellingham is said to be attracting interest from Italy.
The 18-year-old swapped Birmingham for the Black Cats in the summer and has so far turned out 39 times for Mike Dodds' side this season.
With older brother Jude having seen a rise to stardom over the last few years, European sides are beginning to look further afield as they source the next crop of English talent.
According to the latest report from The Mirror, it is Serie A giants Lazio who wish to prize Bellingham away from Sunderland this summer.
Le Aquile (The Eagles) are also said to be monitoring former Leeds United star Jack Clarke, having had two bids already rejected in January for the attacking playmaker.
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Bellingham, Clarke, Plymouth's Morgan Whittaker and Norwich's Jonathan Rowe are all said to have been watched multiple times by scouts from Italy, with summer bids expected to follow.
Furthermore, Atalanta tried to plot a deal for Birmingham's Welsh international Jordan James, who is also rumoured to have been liked by Fiorentina.
Charlie Cresswell, now back with Leeds, was touted with a potential switch to AC Milan although nothing came to fruition.
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Last season's UEFA Champions League finalists Inter had been closely watching Alex Scott before he opted to move from Bristol City to Bournemouth too.
Seeing an emerging trend, Italian clubs are continuing to watch Championship stars given the level of quality shown in the second tier.
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.
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"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."