Real Madrid superstar Jude Bellingham will reprise his role from the 2023/24 season once he returns from injury, according to a report from AS.
The midfielder has been recovering from shoulder surgery in recent weeks, with his comeback still some way off.
Xabi Alonso views him as both a finisher and a playmaker, much like Carlo Ancelotti did during the campaign when Real Madrid won La Liga and the Champions League. So, when he does return, it will likely be similar to that.
Last season, his role shifted
constantly, leaving him underutilised. If there is a set role for him this time around, Bellingham will return to the extremely high standards he set for himself in his debut season. It also means that Franco Mastantuono would likely drop to the bench to make way for the Englishman.
The coach has already tested this setup at the Club World Cup — to an extent, at the very least — where Bellingham often played higher up the pitch with Arda Güler positioned slightly deeper.
All signs suggest Alonso intends to repeat that approach when his star man is back.
