Xabi Alonso has said he "wants to be optimistic" on an early return from injury for Jude Bellingham, after the Real Madrid midfielder returned to training ahead of schedule this week.
Bellingham, 22, underwent shoulder surgery in July -- after Madrid were eliminated from the Club World Cup -- and was expected to be out of action for between 10 and 12 weeks, placing his likely return in early October.
However, the England international took some part in training with teammates at Valdebebas this week, putting him in contention to be back on the field sooner than that, with a derby against Atlético Madrid coming up on Sept. 27.
"I want to be a bit optimistic, and hope that [Bellingham] can be back before October," Alonso told a news conference on Friday ahead of Madrid's game at Real Sociedad.
"He's started to do some things with the group, without contact because we still have to protect the shoulder. But Jude has made a great effort in his recovery.
"He feels very good. Not for [the game] tomorrow, but let's see if next week he can take steps forward, he can train more normally like any other player. When we feel good, him above all, we're waiting for him."
Bellingham had struggled with a shoulder problem since a dislocation in November 2023, and said this summer that an operation had "been a long time coming."
After Saturday's trip to San Sebastián, Madrid get their Champions League campaign underway against Marseille on Tuesday, followed by LaLiga games with Espanyol and Levante, and then visiting Atlético at the Metropolitano.
Alonso said the international break -- with a number of star players, including Brazil internationals Vinícius Júnior, Rodrygo and Éder Militão, not called up by their countries -- had been "positive" after a start to the season which saw the team pick up maximum points in three games so far.
Alonso is yet to deploy all of Vinícius, Rodrygo and Kylian Mbappé in his starting eleven this season -- after speculation linking Rodrygo with a departure this summer -- but the coach said there were no "definitive conclusions" as to whether the trio could start together.
- Mbappé: Passion stops me being 'disgusted' in football
- Premier League storylines: Isak's Liverpool debut, Ange returns
- Madrid, Barcelona lead top men's and women's clubs in EA FC 26
"They can play together," Alonso said. "They've played together a lot, they did it last year ... It isn't something that's been ruled out, of course not. The fact that we haven't done it so far doesn't mean we won't. It's just been three games."
Alonso said injured midfielder Eduardo Camavinga -- who is yet to feature this season -- "can be with the squad soon, if there are no setbacks," and praised the form of Mbappé, who has scored three league goals so far, and found the net for France this week.
"Kylian is in a very good moment, not just in a football sense, but in his personality," Alonso said. "You can see he's taking on that role [of a leader] day to day, but that responsibility has to be shared in the dressing room ... Kylian is fundamental, the other day he was decisive with France, and we need him."