Dani Olmo has rubbished Jude Bellingham's fear-factor ahead of England's showdown with Spain in the Euro 2024 final.
The Spanish forward insists that Bellingham does not scare him but was quick to acknowledge his importance to England.
Olmo has been one of Spain's leading lights this tournament with two goals and three assists - yet he only started one of their first four games.
The RB Leipzig forward, who has reportedly emerged as a target for Liverpool and Manchester United, has established himself as one of the key threats that Gareth Southgate's men must nullify.
'I'm not afraid. Bellingham is (just) a reference point there, football is played through his boots,' Olmo told the radio show El Larguero via AS.
'He is always in the thick of things. He is a player to be taken into account, but I don't fear anyone.'
Olmo has a £55million release clause in his contract with Leipzig but its expiry has been extended beyond Monday due to Spain reaching the final, a boon to suitors such as Liverpool and United, as per The Sun.
Olmo, 26, has been with RB Leipzig since 2020, joining from Dinamo Zagreb and since going on to score 29 goals in 148 appearances for the Bundesliga side.
Prior to his move to Zagreb, he had featured for both Espanyol and Barcelona in his native Spain. Bayern Munich and Barca are also said to be keeping tabs on him.
Spain will be well aware of Bellingham's potential to flick a switch and hurt them in Berlin on Sunday.
Though he has not had his best tournament, he has produced two pivotal goals - including the last-gasp overhead kick to take England to extra-time against Slovakia in the last 16.
He is in the running for the Ballon d'Or after a stunning debut season with Real Madrid in which he bulldozed records left, right, and center.
The 21-year-old scored 23 goals and assisted a further 13 after making his £113million switch from Borussia Dortmund on a six-year deal last summer.
He scored 14 times in his first 15 games to break Ronaldo's record of 13, a flying start which set him up well for the season and endeared him to the fanbase.
Gareth Southgate said after the opening match against Serbia that Bellingham 'writes his own script' after he scored the winning goal.
Though not everything has gone his way this tournament, he has stepped up in big moments, also scoring his penalty in the shoot-out victory over Switzerland in the quarter-finals, which fans went wild for.