Bellingham and Guler ready for shoot-out with Real Madrid's other young guns

On Real Madrid’s first day of pre-season, the two most celebrated freshmen arrived with hired chauffeurs. Jude Bellingham and Arda Guler have not been in town long, so sorting out permanent transport arrangements is a chore to come. Besides, both of them have only recently become old enough to hold a driving licence.

Guler, recruited from Fenerbahce ahead of competing interest from various clubs including Barcelona, is 18. Bellingham, the England international signed from Borussia Dortmund, only ceased to be a teenager 12 days ago. As they gathered at practice for a first team talk from Carlo Ancelotti, the head coach, they looked around and saw a club actively rejuvenating.

No longer are there lockers in the dressing room bearing the names of Eden Hazard, 32, or Karim Benzema, 35, two major departures of the summer so far. Alongside Bellingham and Guler were young, ambitious Madrid players who, like them, signed as teenagers in the past and carry an obvious determination to alter the club’s lingering reputation as a dangerous career cul-de-sac for prodigies.

Jude Bellingham’s Day 1 so farpic.twitter.com/LaaWOKy480

Fede Valverde was among the eager early arrivals at a pre-season that has a staggered start, with most players who were involved in June and July internationals allowed to extend their holidays until later this month.

Valverde came from his native Uruguay into Madrid’s youth system as an 18-year-old; he will be 25 in 11 days' time. Last season, he played more minutes for the senior side than any outfielder other than Vinicius Junior, another who arrived at Madrid aged 18.

Also reporting for duty was Brahim Diaz, who has been a Madrid property since the club signed him from Manchester City at the age of 19.