Personal touch pays in quest to sign Bellingham

ADOPTING the personal touch paid dividends for Borussia Dortmund in their race to sign Sunderland's Jobe Bellingham.

- By CLIVE YOULTON Football writer [e-mail]

It has emerged in the midfielder’s first interview with the club and from a report on Sky Sports Germany that the teenager was wooed by the club's chief executive Hans-Joachim Watzke.

Dortmund faced fierce competition from Bundesliga rivals iEintracht Frankfurt and RB Leipzig, but Watzke went above and beyond to make sure it was his club that claimed the signature.

It has now emerged that Watzke flew into the UK and presented Bellingham with an unreleased Dortmund shirt, featuring the player’s name and beloved No.7 on the back.

Watzke also handed Bellingham a personal letter from Dortmund boss Niko Kovac, which reportedly read: “Dear Jobe, After our last meeting, I'm more convinced than ever.