"I am flying on the pitch thanks to him" – Jude Bellingham names main person behind explosive start to Real Madrid career
Jude Bellingham has credited Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti for helping him emerge as one of the most in-form footballers in the world in the ongoing season.
Bellingham, 20, joined Los Blancos from Borussia Dortmund in a move worth up to €134 million earlier this summer, snubbing Liverpool along the way. He has scored a whopping 15 goals and laid out four assists in 17 outings across all competitions so far this campaign.
Speaking ahead of being named as the 2023 Golden Boy, Bellingham claimed that Ancelotti has been vital to his stellar start this campaign. He told Italian newspaper Tuttosport (h/t Football Espana):
"I put in my efforts and a fierce commitment to improve myself with work, but the credit goes to Mr. Ancelotti who found the right position for me and gave me more freedom on the field. So now, I am flying on the pitch thanks to him."
Offering his thanks to a number of people, the Real Madrid star added:
"I want to thank my Real Madrid teammates and the entire squad, Mr. Ancelotti, the president, my family, my mother Denise, my father Mark, my younger brother Jobe, the friends who have happily bombarded and inundated me with congratulatory messages."
Bellingham, who bagged the 2023 Kopa Trophy in October, concluded:
"I hope they continue to do so. Without all these people, without their help on and off the field, their constant encouragement and without ever forgetting the fans that support me, I would not have been able to win the Golden Boy."
Bellingham, who has a contract until June 2029 at Santiago Bernabeu, will next be in action for Real Madrid next Saturday (December 9). He will likely start his team's La Liga home clash against Real Betis.
Real Madrid keen to add another midfielder
According to Fichajes.net, Real Madrid are interested in signing Bayer Leverkusen playmaker Florian Wirtz next summer. They are said to view the 20-year-old as an ideal replacement for Luka Modric, who is in the final seven months of his contract at Carlo Ancelotti's side.
Los Merengues are reportedly willing to dish out around €100 million to rope in the 14-cap Germany international ahead of the upcoming term.
Wirtz, who rose through Leverkusen's youth ranks, has cemented himself as a key starter for his club since his debut in May 2020. He has registered 29 goals and 40 assists in 122 games for them so far.