Jude Bellingham undergoes shoulder surgery, set for October return

The 22-year-old England international is expected to miss all of Real Madrid's pre-season and at least the opening six weeks of the new campaign. That timeline would see him sidelined for England's September World Cup qualifiers against Andorra and Serbia.

Bellingham has dealt with a recurring left shoulder dislocation since November 2023, when he first sustained the injury during a match against Rayo Vallecano. Despite continuing to play throughout the season - often with visible strapping - the midfielder admitted in June he was "tired of playing with the sling."

Real Madrid confirmed the procedure in a statement on Tuesday:

"Our player Jude Bellingham has undergone successful surgery for a recurrent left shoulder dislocation. He will now begin a period of rehabilitation prior to his return to recovery work."

The club scheduled the operation following their Club World Cup campaign in the United States, which ended in a semi-final defeat to Paris Saint-Germain last week.

Newly appointed manager Xabi Alonso will now be without Bellingham for the opening stages of the season, with Madrid set to kick off their La Liga campaign at home to Osasuna on 19 August.

Bellingham joined Los Blancos from Borussia Dortmund in 2023 for 115 million pounds and made an immediate impact. He helped deliver both La Liga and UEFA Champions League titles in his debut season, scoring 23 goals in 43 appearances. Last season, he added 15 goals in 58 games, though Madrid fell short in both competitions - finishing behind Barcelona domestically and exiting the Champions League in the quarter-finals to Arsenal.

While the surgery marks a setback in the short term, resolving the issue could prove crucial as Bellingham enters a pivotal phase of his career at both club and international level.