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Ademola Lookman Backs Inter Milan Switch as Transfer Talks Heat Up (July 2025)
England and Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham has undergone successful surgery to address a long-standing shoulder injury, the Spanish club has confirmed.
The 22-year-old is expected to miss the entirety of Real Madrid’s pre-season and at least the first six weeks of the 2025/26 campaign. This means Bellingham will also be unavailable for England’s World Cup qualifiers against Andorra and Serbia in September.
Bellingham has been battling the shoulder problem since 2023, when he dislocated it during a La Liga clash with Rayo Vallecano. Despite wearing strapping and playing through discomfort for much of the past two seasons, he admitted to reporters in June that he was “tired of playing with the sling.”
Real Madrid scheduled the operation to take place after their Club World Cup commitments in the United States. The Spanish giants were eliminated in the semi-finals by Paris Saint-Germain last week.
“Jude will now undergo a period of rehabilitation before returning to training,” the club announced in a statement.
Under new manager Xabi Alonso, Real Madrid begin their La Liga season at home to Osasuna on August 19.
Bellingham joined Real from Borussia Dortmund in 2023 for £115 million. In his debut season, he made an immediate impact, scoring 23 goals in 43 appearances and helping Los Blancos secure both the La Liga title and the UEFA Champions League crown. Last season, however, Real fell short domestically, surrendering the league title to Barcelona and exiting the Champions League in the quarter-finals against Arsenal. Bellingham contributed 15 goals in 58 appearances across all competitions.
The midfielder’s absence will be a significant blow for both club and country as he embarks on his rehabilitation process in hopes of returning later in the season.
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