Carlo Ancelotti insists Jude Bellingham's role at Real Madrid will not change following the arrival of Kylian Mbappe and said the England midfielder has a good European campaign.
Mbappe joined Madrid from Paris Saint-Germain in the close season and is likely to be thrust into the spotlight as Vinicius Jnr is already operating in his preferred position on the left side of the attack.
Bellingham plays mostly as a number 10 and Ancelotti hopes the former Borussia Dortmund man will be a key man again for the Champions League winners.
He told BBC Sport: “Nothing has changed for him. Nothing has changed.
“In the first season, he was very surprised, because he showed good quality, a really mature boy.
“Next season will be no different. He will be one of the best players we have, he supports the team a lot with his quality.”
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England and Bellingham were good at the Euros – Ancelotti
Bellingham had a great first year at the Santiago Bernabeu, scoring 23 goals in 42 games, but looked a bit disappointed as the season wore on.
He was unheralded when Madrid beat Dortmund at Wembley to become European champions and flashed his talent – most notably with a stunning overhead kick to save England from defeat to Slovakia in the round of 16 – in Germany as the Three Lions lost the final in Spain.
His performances, and England's, have been heavily criticized but Ancelotti says both teams have impressed him.
He added: “This is a theory but Bellingham played very well at the Euros.
“England played very well, they reached the final and it was close to winning it.”
Ancelotti tells Chelsea owners to be patient
Madrid ends their pre-season tour in America tomorrow night when they face Chelsea and will be hoping to register their first win following defeats to Milan and Classico rivals Barcelona.
Ancelotti said of Madrid's opponents in the Premier League, now under the leadership of Enzo Maresca: “They have a good team, good, young players. They have a young manager.
“They must be patient, owners, take experience, grow. But they don't have signals [made] they are really good.”
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