‘The Kid’s Got a Lot of Quality’ – Niko Kovac Insists Borussia Dortmund Are ‘Building Up’ Jobe Bellingham Amid Bundesliga Controversy

Young Midfielder Slowly Finding His Feet in Germany as Dortmund Boss Urges Patience

When Borussia Dortmund announced the signing of Jobe Bellingham, there was an inevitable sense of déjà vu. Another Bellingham, another English prodigy, another ambitious move to the Bundesliga. The parallels with his older brother Jude were too striking to ignore — and, for a while, the weight of that comparison hung heavily on the 20-year-old’s shoulders.

But now, as Dortmund grind through a turbulent domestic campaign, head coach Niko Kovac is urging patience and perspective. “The kid’s got a lot of quality,” the Croatian told Sky Germany after Friday night’s 1–0 victory over Augsburg. “We’re building him up slowly here. It’s going even faster than I imagined, because he really has a lot of quality.”

Those words, delivered with quiet conviction, might just mark a turning point for Jobe Bellingham — a public show of faith from a coach who has been under pressure to justify both his team selections and his man-management style.

A Subtle Spark in Augsburg

Dortmund’s win over Augsburg wasn’t pretty. It was one of those gritty, narrow victories that title contenders need to pull off even when they’re below their best. But amid a scrappy 90 minutes, Jobe Bellingham provided something that’s been missing from Dortmund’s play lately — spark, movement, and intent.

Introduced from the bench on the hour mark, the young midfielder’s 30-minute cameo was enough to turn heads. He showed composure in possession, drew defenders out of shape, and injected tempo into a midfield that had looked stagnant for much of the night.

His contribution didn’t directly produce the winning goal — that came from a well-timed set piece — but the energy shift was unmistakable. Even from the technical area, Kovac couldn’t help but acknowledge it.

“We know what kind of player we have,” he said post-match. “He’s strong, he’s physical, and he reads the game well. You saw that when he came on. But we need to bring him along step by step. It’s not about throwing him in just because of his name.”

And that last remark — the reference to his name — was telling.

Life in Jude’s Shadow

Jobe Bellingham Borussia Dortmund 2025

Fair or not, comparisons with Jude Bellingham have been unavoidable since Jobe arrived at Signal Iduna Park last summer. His older brother didn’t just play for Dortmund — he defined an era there. By the time Jude left for Real Madrid, he’d captained the club, starred in the Champions League, and become one of Europe’s most valuable assets.

So when Jobe walked through the same doors, expectations were sky-high. But football doesn’t work in straight lines. Where Jude was thrown into the deep end at 17 and thrived instantly, Jobe’s adaptation has been slower, more deliberate.

And that hasn’t always gone down well at home. Reports from Bild and Kicker suggested that Jobe’s parents, Mark and Denise Bellingham, were furious with Kovac earlier in the season over their son’s lack of minutes. The situation reportedly became so heated that they were temporarily barred from entering the dressing room — a decision that fuelled speculation about a breakdown in trust.

Kovac, for his part, has remained calm. “I understand the passion of parents,” he said recently. “But at Borussia Dortmund, we think long-term. Jobe will play a lot of games here — but we want him to be ready, not rushed.”

A Plan, Not a Punishment

Inside Dortmund, there’s a growing belief that Jobe Bellingham’s development plan is working exactly as intended. The coaching staff see him as a long-term project — not an instant superstar. He’s being eased into the Bundesliga, given specific responsibilities in training, and encouraged to learn from veterans like Marcel Sabitzer and Pascal Groß.

This measured approach, Kovac insists, is about protecting the player, not sidelining him.

“He’s still young,” the coach told Sky, “and this league is very demanding. It’s faster and more physical than what he’s used to. But you can see in training every day — the kid’s got a lot of quality. He’ll be an important player for us.”

Those words will come as a relief to Dortmund fans who had started to wonder whether the younger Bellingham might follow the well-trodden path of young signings who never quite settle in Germany.

In truth, Kovac’s approach is not without logic. Bellingham’s performances at Sunderland last season were outstanding — his power and creativity in the Championship made him one of England’s most exciting young prospects. But the jump from the English second tier to the Bundesliga is steep, especially at a club that expects to challenge for silverware every season.

The Midfield Bottleneck

There’s also a simple structural reason for Bellingham’s limited minutes: competition.

Dortmund’s midfield is currently stacked with experience and versatility. Felix Nmecha has been one of the team’s standout performers in recent weeks, Marcel Sabitzer remains a trusted lieutenant, and Pascal Groß has added control and intelligence to the centre of the park.

In Kovac’s preferred 3-4-3 system, there are only two central midfield spots — and right now, both are hard to dislodge. For Bellingham, breaking into that lineup will require consistency, maturity, and patience.

Still, what he offers is different. He’s more direct than Groß, more athletic than Sabitzer, and more inventive in transition than Nmecha. When he’s on the pitch, Dortmund move the ball faster, more vertically. That’s a quality Kovac has noticed — and one he plans to use more as the season progresses.

A Test in Manchester

FC Bayern Munchen v Bayer 04 Leverkusen – Bundesliga

If there’s one fixture perfectly timed to showcase Bellingham’s potential, it’s Borussia Dortmund’s midweek Champions League clash with Manchester City.

Not only will it mark his first return to England since leaving Sunderland, but it also presents a symbolic opportunity: a Bellingham back on English soil, wearing yellow and black, taking on one of Europe’s elite.

Dortmund are unbeaten in the Champions League so far, having taken seven points from their first three games. City have the same record but sit behind on goal difference, making Wednesday’s encounter a potential group decider.

Whether Bellingham starts or comes off the bench again, it’s a stage tailor-made for him — and a chance to remind everyone back home of why Dortmund fought so hard for his signature.

The Domestic Battle Ahead

After their European trip, Dortmund will return to the grind of Bundesliga life with a tricky away fixture at Hamburg. Newly promoted but flying high, Hamburg have been one of the season’s surprises, and their energetic pressing could cause problems for a Dortmund side still searching for rhythm.

Kovac’s men can’t afford another slip-up. Bayern Munich have won all nine of their league games so far and already look untouchable. They sit five points clear of RB Leipzig and seven ahead of Dortmund. Every dropped point from here on risks turning the title race into a procession.

For Jobe Bellingham, though, the focus remains simpler: keep improving, keep learning, and keep earning the trust of his manager.

Kovac’s Balancing Act

Managing young talent is one of football’s trickiest balancing acts. Go too fast, and you risk burning them out; go too slow, and you stunt their development. Niko Kovac has seen both sides of that coin during his managerial career.

At Monaco, he was accused of rushing young players into the spotlight. At Wolfsburg, he was criticised for being too cautious. In Dortmund, he seems to have found a middle ground — one that prioritises individual growth over short-term optics.

And in Bellingham’s case, that patience might just pay off. Every appearance, every training session, every moment of adaptation adds another layer to his game.

As Kovac put it: “He’s learning what it means to play at this level — the speed, the pressure, the expectation. But he’s smart. He listens. He wants to improve. That’s why we believe in him.”

The Bigger Picture

There’s an irony to all this: for all the noise and controversy surrounding his playing time, Jobe Bellingham’s story at Dortmund is unfolding exactly how the club planned it.

The same institution that turned Jude Bellingham, Erling Haaland, and Jadon Sancho into global stars knows a thing or two about nurturing potential. The blueprint hasn’t changed — steady integration, measured exposure, and relentless focus on development.

Yes, there have been bumps along the way — the family tension, the media speculation, the occasional costly mistake (like his misplaced pass that led to Bayern’s winning goal last month). But those are all part of the education.

What matters now is that Bellingham is starting to show flashes of the player Dortmund believe he can become.

Final Thoughts

Jobe Bellingham’s story at Borussia Dortmund is still in its opening chapters, but the plot is beginning to take shape. The early frustration, the whispers of discontent, the comparisons with his brother — all of it feels like noise around a player quietly learning his trade.

Kovac’s words — “The kid’s got a lot of quality” — weren’t just a compliment; they were a reassurance. A message to fans, to critics, and perhaps even to the Bellingham family: trust the process.

Because if history has taught us anything, it’s that Dortmund have a knack for turning potential into greatness. And in Jobe Bellingham, they might just be doing it again — one careful step at a time.