Journalist Alejandro Alcazar has reported via SPORT that Carlo Ancelotti believes Jude Bellingham happens to be the perfect candidate to replace an outgoing Luka Modric.
Real Madrid have been on the lookout for someone to step into Modric’s shoes for a while now. It is a tall order because Modric is one of a kind, especially with his Croatian flair.
Nonetheless, within the team, there are players who can bridge the midfield and the attack, and the one who fits the bill closest is Bellingham.
The England midfielder has skills, can hold his own one-on-one, has a keen eye for the game, and packs power and precision, making him a prime candidate to follow in Modric’s footsteps.
"We are asking Bellingham to play a little further back. There he is more comfortable, he likes it better," said Ancelotti after the Alaves game where Bellingham was on the scoresheet.
"He doesn’t like to play so high up. He has more defensive quality than Vinicius and Rodrygo," he added.
Bellingham has proven to be quite handy, especially in a season where Real Madrid had only three forwards to rely on.
Ancelotti was brainstorming how to beef up the attack, with Joselu as a reliable backup option, given the team’s accustomed style of playing without a traditional number 9.
He came up with a strategy, deploying a diamond midfield with Bellingham at the forefront, sliding in from behind as a pseudo-centre forward, and it worked like a charm.
Looking ahead, Ancelotti will have some heavy artillery joining the attacking ranks next season with the likes of Kylian Mbappe and Endrick coming in.
They will team up with Vinicius, Rodrygo, and Joselu to form a fearsome front line. This means Bellingham might find himself edged out of the forward lineup, but there is still a place for him in his natural habitat: the midfield, where he’s the bridge to the attack.