Sunderland captain Dan Neil, 23, lined up for shock £15m transfer to Serie A giants with Jobe Bellingham also set to go
South Shields-born Neil, 23, led the Black Cats back to the Premier League via the play-offs last week — but could now be off to Serie A.
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Dan Neil helped his boyhood club to Prem promotion
Credit: Getty
British players are respected in
Italy
right now off the back of Scott McTominay and Billy Gilmour helping
Neil's move would rock Sunderland, though, who are already preparing to lose
The 19-year-old is already talking to clubs in
Germany
and likely to leave in the aftermath of their 2-1 win over
READ MORE TRANSFER NEWS
Bellingham joined the Black Cats for £3m in 2023.
The midfielder has since played 90 times, scoring 11 goals.
He is a regular for
Speaking
Most read in Football
BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK
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Jobe Bellingham was a key figure for Sunderland this season
Credit: Shutterstock Editorial
"When you've got supporters like this and a group of lads like that, you always have to believe.
"I always believed and I know people doubted us and that's understandable, we lost a few games, people talk about momentum.
Jobe Bellingham takes swipe at Sky Sports pundits in live TV interview before awkward moment with panel at Wembley
"But I think we did enough, we showed enough throughout the season for people to at least give us some credit going into the play-offs.
"The typical 'inexperienced' by all the ex-pros that speak on
Sky
but we've just proved that don't matter.
"You need experience, of course, with youth like at Sunderland you play loads of games you get that experience.
"You get experience by failing and we failed together so many times and in the end we come good."
Neil, meanwhile, burst onto the scene after debuting in 2018.
The all-action midfielder has since become captain of his boyhood club.
Neil has played 197 times for Sunderland, scoring 12 goals and laying on 20 assists.
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