Borussia Dortmund have opted to stand firmly behind Jobe Bellingham, according to fresh reports, despite the 20-year-old enduring a challenging introduction to German football since his summer arrival.
The club's leadership has reportedly resolved against pursuing a central midfield signing during the January transfer window.
This decision comes even after Dortmund confirmed Pascal Gross's return to Brighton on Friday.
Chief executive Lars Ricken, sporting director Sebastian Kehl and manager Niko Kovac have collectively determined that Bellingham should be given the opportunity to establish himself in the position, according to German publication Bild.
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The England Under-21 international completed a £32million switch from Sunderland last summer, following his older brother Jude's path to the Bundesliga club.
Bellingham's playing time has been restricted since arriving at Signal Iduna Park, with the midfielder managing only five league starts this campaign.
Since the beginning of September, he has been named in the starting lineup for just three Bundesliga fixtures out of a possible 12 and seldom completes the full 90 minutes.
His most recent outing ended in disappointment when he received a red card during Dortmund's 1-1 stalemate with Freiburg in December, resulting in a two-match suspension.
Borussia Dortmund have opted to stand firmly behind Jobe Bellingham, according to fresh reports
|GETTY
Goalkeeper Gregor Kobel subsequently accepted responsibility for the dismissal, acknowledging that his distribution error contributed to the incident.
Overall, the younger Bellingham has featured 27 times for his new club, finding the net on just one occasion against South African outfit Sundowns in his second appearance.
The beginning of the season was marked by a reported confrontation between Bellingham's father Mark, who serves as his son's advisor, and club officials.
Following Dortmund's 3-3 draw with St Pauli, Mark Bellingham reportedly engaged in a heated exchange with Kehl after Jobe was withdrawn at the interval.
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Bellingham has featured 27 times for his new club
|GETTY
According to Bild, he expressed his displeasure regarding both his son's early removal from the pitch and the team's underwhelming display.
The report added that Mark Bellingham also sought a direct conversation with Kovac and "made no secret of his opinion."
Several Dortmund players reportedly observed how emotionally charged he became, with his frustration apparently stemming from the combination of the half-time substitution and the poor performance.
Kehl responded to the incident by issuing a firm reminder about access to restricted areas within the stadium.
Jobe Bellingham is following in the footsteps of his brother, Jude Bellingham, by playing for Borussia Dortmund | GETTYThe sporting director said: "We are all disappointed about the result yesterday. And still, the active area at our club remains reserved for players, coaches and officials, not families and advisors.
"This will not happen again. We have made this clear to all involved."
Despite the early turbulence, Dortmund's hierarchy reportedly regard the younger Bellingham as a "training champion" whose impressive work on the practice ground will eventually translate into match performances once his confidence develops.
The club's faith in the midfielder appears unwavering, with Kovac having publicly defended his player following the Freiburg sending-off and praised his development trajectory since arriving from Wearside.
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