MIKE Dodds believes Jobe Bellingham can follow in his brother's footsteps and reach "the very top" - revealing that the Sunderland youngster shares the "relentless" drive of Real Madrid superstar Jude.

Dodds knows both Bellingham brothers and the family very well having worked with the pair as they developed through the ranks at Birmingham City.

Sunderland's interim boss says Jobe made an incredibly difficult decision when leaving his boyhood team and the club he's supported all of his life in the summer, but says the 18-year-old knows he's made the right choice in joining Sunderland, where Dodds believes Bellingham can take his game to the next level.

And while Sunderland will carefully nurture Bellingham over the coming years, Dodds believes the youngster has all the attributes - on and off the pitch - to achieve anything he wants in the game.

"I think he can go to the very top," said Dodds, who admitted the name on the Sunderland teen's shirt means there's inevitable pressure.

"It's really difficult, I'll be honest.

"Both brothers have a very similar mindset in terms of their relentlessness in their pursuit of where they want to get to.

"I think he made a really brave decision and it said everything about his character to leave Birmingham, the club he's supported his whole career, his whole life, he spent the best part of 10 years at the academy there.

"I know it was a really tough decision for him but he had to take the emotion out of it and think about what was best for his career.

"Thankfully from my perspective it looks like he's made the right decision. I'm sure he'd reiterate that. I'll be honest, it is tough for him, but it will only get easier as he starts to get credit in the bank for him."

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Bellingham played up-front for Sunderland in Saturday's win over West Brom before being shifted back into a midfield role for the visit of Leeds United on Tuesday night. Dodds then tinkered again in the second half when he turned to his bench and Bellingham was moved forward again into an attacking position, and he was on the spot to head home the winner against Daniel Farke's side.

Dodds said: "We've seen a boy in the last two games who's 18 years old play two different positions against two of the best teams in the league and he's done remarkable. That in itself just highlights what a fantastic talent he is regardless of the name on the back of his shirt.

"I've worked with a lot of young players and my background and CV would suggest working with young players is something I'm quite strong at and he is up there with the very best I've worked with.

"He's a second-year scholar, he's just turned 18 years old, the fact I can play him as a No.9 and lead the line against a very good West Brom team and he should have scored. Then I can play him deeper and he can execute a game-plan to the level and quality he has against Leeds and then in-game change him again to a different position and he goes and scores, I think the proof is in the pudding and the facts speak for themselves.

"For an 18-year-old to do that is remarkable."