Jude Bellingham Key to Alonso’s New Attacking Madrid

Jude Bellingham must stay high up the pitch, not in midfield traffic, if Real Madrid are to maximise their fire-power under freshly appointed coach Xabi Alonso. So says club icon Michel Salgado, who believes the England star’s “special smell” for goals cannot be wasted.

Why Alonso Needs Bellingham Near the Box

Salgado’s logic is simple: 23 goals in Bellingham’s debut season powered Los Blancos to a La Liga–Champions League double. Although the tally dipped to 15 last term, the 22-year-old still proved decisive in tight matches. Alonso admires the playmaker’s passing range and has hinted at a deeper role, yet Salgado argues that Real already possess elite distributors in Toni Kroos and Federico Valverde. What they lack is a third predator alongside Vinícius Júnior and Kylian Mbappé.

The Fitness Question

Bellingham faces minor shoulder surgery after the FIFA Club World Cup, but the break may help him recharge before the domestic run-in. With Trent Alexander-Arnold also arriving, Alonso could field an English right-flank supply line that feeds the former Borussia Dortmund man in central pockets.

Numbers That Matter

• 38 goal contributions across two seasons in Spain
• 0.42 non-penalty goals per 90 minutes in 2023-24
• 56 % of strikes from inside the six-yard box – proof of that “smell” Salgado cited

Expected Role in 2024-25

Alonso, a midfield maestro himself, is likely to alternate between 4-3-3 and 4-2-3-1. In both shapes, Bellingham as a roaming No. 10 keeps him one pass from goal while allowing Mbappé and Vinícius to stretch defences horizontally.

Opinion

Alonso should heed Salgado’s warning. Bellingham is not Luka Modrić 2.0; he is a turbo-charged Frank Lampard. Park him in the box and Real Madrid may dominate Europe again.