Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso will already be thinking about next season and how to prepare for it, but will be conscious that one of his key players will not be present for it. Kylian Mbappe was missing for much of the Club World Cup through illness, and now Jude Bellingham will miss the opening months of the season.

Bellingham is set to undergo surgery on Wednesday in London, as he looks to resolve a long-term shoulder issue. That is according to Cadena SER, who put a date to news confirmed by Bellingham himself before the Club World Cup.

Bellingham targeting October return

The surgery will keep him out for somewhere between 10 and 12 weeks. The former of those dates would take him up until October to get back on the pitch, while the latter would see him return midway through the month, likely having the international break to recover from the injury. It will see Alonso go through at least a month and a half of competition without the England international, with Los Blancos back in action on the 19th of August.

Games that Jude Bellingham will miss

The surgery will address a long-term issue that has been bugging Bellingham since November of 2023 when he dislocated his shoulder against Rayo Vallecano. Since, he has been playing with heavy strapping and managing the pain.

The 22-year-old will miss Liga games against Osasuna (H), Real Oviedo (A), RCD Mallorca (H), Real Sociedad (A), Espanyol (H), Levante (A), Atletico Madrid (A) and likely two Champions League clashes as well, with the headline being the Madrid derby.

Bellingham keen to have operation

The operation has been in the post for some time, but with Euro 2024 last summer, and demands on Real Madrid last summer, the club and Bellingham decided to put it off. Bellingham commented that he was keen for the operation to take place though.

“I think I’ve got to the end of my patience with the brace, the physios here and the doctors have been unbelievable, getting me ready to play game in, game out. But I’m at that point now where I’m ready to have a free shoulder, and a free body really.”