Bellingham has undergone successful surgery and has already begun his recovery to return to Real Madrid at his best. The English footballer has undergone surgery to resolve problems with his shoulder after months of postponing the operation and suffering unspeakable pain. Now the ball is in Xabi Alonso’s court, who will be without the midfielder until the end of the year and must think about how to replace him in a starting eleven in which he has been a fixture throughout the World Cup.
The operation and time out
Bellingham underwent surgery on Wednesday to treat the dislocation in his left shoulder that he has been suffering from for 20 months. They did not want to postpone the operation any longer so that the Englishman can begin his recovery as soon as possible, as it will not be an easy process and he wants to help the team and be in top form for next summer’s World Cup. His recovery could take up to three months, so he is expected to return to work at the end of October. He will then be able to resume training with the team, but it could be November or December before he is back to full fitness.
Xabi Alonso’s plan for Bellingham
Xabi Alonso already said on the day of his presentation that he sees Bellingham as a pure midfielder. “Jude can be special almost anywhere because he is special. His emergence has been that of a player for the ages at Real Madrid. He will be fundamental for the club’s future projects and he is in a good place to work with him and become fundamental.
I see him as a midfielder and, with the potential he has, I want him to be as efficient as possible. That will be one of the steps we will try to take with him.” The system proposed by the Basque coach, with three center backs and two wingbacks who run the entire length of the field, allowed the English player to not have to cover as much ground during the World Cup as he usually does.
Alongside Arda Güler in midfield and Valverde as his wingman, the Englishman made the center of the park his own. Now that he was settling into this new role in which he was shining, it is time to stop and for Xabi to look for solutions.
Possible replacements
The coach is already working to find the best alternative during the absence of the Englishman, whom he has considered indispensable since his arrival. His absence will open the door to less regular players such as Ceballos and Brahim. In addition, the arrival of Mastantuono will also be an option depending on how the young Argentine adapts. There is also the option of Camavinga, who has not yet played under Xabi Alonso due to injury. The Whites will have around three weeks to prepare for the start of La Liga against Osasuna on August 19 at the Santiago Bernabéu. Xabi Alonso will have to try things out and make a decision on how to fix a midfield that has caused the team so many problems. A signing is not ruled out, although no one has convinced Real Madrid enough, for the moment, within a reasonable price range.