Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has heaped praise on past Manchester United target Jude Bellingham following another outstanding performance for Real Madrid.

Bellingham has enjoyed an incredible start to life in the Spanish capital after joining Carlo Ancelotti's side in a PS115million deal from Borussia Dortmund in the summer. The 20-year-old has already taken on a talismanic role at his new club with eight goals and three assists in nine matches.

His most recent effort came in Tuesday's 3-2 Champions League win at Serie A champions Napoli. The English midfielder charged through the heart of the pitch before jinking inside and curling a wonderful effort past goalkeeper Alex Meret.

"Jude Bellingham was the outstanding player, both on and off the ball," Solskjaer told the UEFA website. "He has enjoyed a fantastic start at Real Madrid and, in the first half, he was his team's key player, not just offensively but defensively too.

"Bellingham continually ran in behind the Napoli midfielders and defenders, offering himself to receive the ball. It is telling how Bellingham always scans the space around him.

"Bellingham's energy impressed me too. He runs non-stop and is always willing to take the ball. The goal he scored offers the best example of his game.

"(He) shows the strength, speed and skill to evade five Napoli players before shooting low and hard into the corner. And he does not take four or five steps to set himself up for a shot, but does it all with one movement. It is exceptional finishing."

United were in with a chance of signing Bellingham back in 2020, giving the then-16-year-old a tour of their Carrington training ground in a bid to convince him to leave Birmingham City. The in-demand teenager was met by the likes of Bryan Robson, Sir Alex Ferguson and Eric Cantona on the day.

He instead decided to move abroad and join Dortmund, hoping for more regular game time with a team infamous for trusting young talent. "We wanted Jude Bellingham badly," Solskjaer recently told The Athletic. "He's a Man United player, but I respect he chose Dortmund."

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