Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti hails 'outstanding' Jude Bellingham after debut

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti has described Jude Bellingham as 'outstanding' after the England midfielder's impressive debut on Saturday.

Bellingham scored in Madrid's 2-0 win over Athletic Club in Bilbao and looked assured in his first competitive match for Los Blancos, winning tackles and driving forward in an all-action display.

"He's a player with a lot of personality," Ancelotti said after the match. "He adapts very quickly to the team's system because he has a strong personality.

"It seems like he has been with us for a long time, he's a player with a very high level."

The Italian went on to add that the 20-year-old, who operated centrally behind the forwards in a four-man midfield, had helped Madrid to feel 'comfortable' in one of Spain's most difficult away venues.

"Bellingham is outstanding and the team feels comfortable playing that way," he said. "We adapted the defensive aspect and we worked really well on the wings with [Eduardo] Camavinga and [Fede] Valverde."

Rodrygo opened the scoring for Madrid after 28 minutes and Bellingham was on target with a volley hit into the ground following a David Alaba cross eight minutes later.

Next up for Bellingham and Madrid is a trip to Almeria on Saturday.

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Coach Carlo Ancelotti has played down persistent speculation that Real Madrid could sign Kylian Mbappe from Paris Saint-Germain this summer.

But Los Blancos are in talks to sign Kepa Arrizabalaga from Chelsea after Thibaut Courtois suffered a serious injury on Thursday.

And Madrid have been linked with a move for Arsenal striker Gabriel Jesus as a replacement for Karim Benzema, who moved to Saudi Arabia earlier this summer.