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Pundit Andrea Orlandi has praised Jude Bellingham's rapid adaptation at Real Madrid, placing his start above Cristiano Ronaldo's at the club. The English midfielder has enjoyed a hugely impressive start to life as a Madrid player, with 20 goals and nine assists in 31 appearances.
Real Madrid signed Bellingham from Borussia Dortmund for just over €103 million, handing the youngster the iconic No. 5 shirt of Zinedine Zidane. The 20-year-old has more than merited that decision, repaying the trust of the club with a glut of goals and assists.
La Liga TV pundit Orlandi has shared with Daily Star Sports that he believes the young Englishman has adapted more quickly than Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid. The pundit, who previously played for Barcelona, has been hugely impressed by Jude Bellingham's adaptation and quality since his arrival.
He said:
“Yes, he (Ronaldo) did score quite a lot of goals when he joined the club, but you could see that wasn’t the real him up until a couple of months.
“With Bellingham, it was from pre-season, his first game I think he scored. And then in La Liga, it was the same. I knew he’d be very good but I thought in three or four years. He comes here and just destroys the league really and decides to be the best player."
He added:
“And in a club where Vinicius is there, Rodrigo, Luka Modric, Toni Kroos, he’s gone ‘I’m the best’.” Bellingham is cementing himself as a cornerstone of the new breed of Galacticos set to be joined by Kylian Mbappe this summer."
For context, Cristiano Ronaldo managed 33 goals and 10 assists in 35 appearances in his debut season (2009-10) at the Santiago Bernabeu. He scored 15 goals in the first half of the season for Los Blancos following his then-world-record (€100 million) move from Manchester United.
Real Madrid linked with move for Premier League star
Real Madrid have been linked with a move for Chelsea captain Reece James, as the right-back has reportedly been made available for a transfer by his club. The England international has long been appreciated by the Spanish giants, and they could get their wish now, as per Football Espana.
James has struggled with a series of hamstring injuries in recent seasons and hasn't appeared for Chelsea since December after undergoing surgery. The English side are open to selling him after the seamless adaptation of 20-year-old Malo Gusto in his absence.
The Blues reportedly value the right-back at around £60 million, similar to the fee they received for Mason Mount's move to Manchester United last summer. They are looking to raise money in order to be compliant with the league's Financial Fair Play rules.
