20 February 2024 , 13:19
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Jude Bellingham's scoring run at Real Madrid might not continue with the same pace next season, with suggestions the England star will be forced to drop deeper when Kylian Mbappe comes to the Bernabeu.
Bellingham is the top scorer in La Liga this season with 16 goals, getting forward well from an attacking midfield role since his summer arrival from Borussia Dortmund. He also scored four times in the Champions League group stage as Carlo Ancelotti's team won their group with a 100 percent record.
His role may change next term, however, with Mbappe understood to be close to signing a five-year deal with Los Blancos. The deal would bring to an end a long-running saga, after the French forward passed on a 2022 move to the Spanish capital to extend his stay with current club Paris Saint-Germain.
After landing their top target, the challenge for Carlo Ancelotti is finding a way to accommodate all his big stars in one team. It appears Ancelotti has a plan in place, though.
According to The BBC, that plan involves Bellingham dropping deeper, with Vinicius Junior wide left and Mbappe left of centre. While there could be a free slot through the middle, with Joselu considered a short-term option after replacing Karim Benzema, Mbappe has previously indicated he isn't a fan of playing as a more orthodox number nine.
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"It was a reaction in the heat of the moment, after a moment of disappointment," PSG's then-manager Christophe Galtier said in 2022 after Mbappe swiftly deleted an Instagram post appearing to criticise Galtier's use of him as an attacking pivot. "I spoke a lot with Kylian at the start of the season and I was very attentive to his comments when he was playing for France, saying that he felt better in Les Bleus’ attacking set-up.
"Across pre-season we spoke with [football advisor] Luís Campos and the president [Nasser Al-Khelaifi] to get a fourth striker, with a different profile, who would allow for two strikers and for Kylian to play as much as possible in his preferred area. Kylian sometimes finds himself in the middle and he gets the impression that he’s a pivot. But he’s a smart player who’s capable of adapting."
Would Real Madrid be making a mistake by moving Bellingham back? Have your say in the comments section
Jude Bellingham is Real Madrid's top scorer this season (AFP via Getty Images)Mbappe is set to see his weekly wages drop compared to his earnings at Paris Saint-Germain. However, a hefty £128million signing-on bonus will make up for that.
Bellingham's new role, meanwhile, would help Ancelotti's team make up for the potential departure of out-of-contract duo Toni Kroos and Luka Modric. It has been reported that Mbappe would inherit Modric's number 10 shirt if, as expected, the veteran leaves the Bernabeu this summer.
Mbappe still has a chance to deliver PSG an elusive Champions League title before leaving his current club. Luis Enrique's team, who sit atop Ligue 1 and remain alive in the Coupe de France, hold a 2-0 lead over Real Sociedad after the first leg of their round of 16 tie.
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