January tends to be the time adidas drop the next generation of the Predator, and as we edge towards that time, Jude Bellingham has given us our first glimpse at the blacked out prototype as he laced up in them for training yesterday.

The Predator Mutator dropped back in January 2020, and that was followed by the Predator Freak in January of this year, so it stands to reason that we can expect the next generation of the iconic silo in January 2022. With that in mind it stands to reason that we can expect to start to see glimpses of the prototype doing the rounds, and first to give us a glimpse is Borussia Dortmund’s Jude Bellingham.

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The young Englishman laced up in the next generation of Predator in training this week, showing off what looks to be a completely reworked upper. Gone are the Demonskin spikes that has been the standout feature of the last two models, replaced instead by what looks more like rubber strips that are reminiscent of the Predator LZ. The Predator LZ originally dropped back in 2012 and featured a design that defined five ‘Lethal Zones’ related to ball control and striking. 

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Here, the collar also looks to have been reworked, although this is likely the low-cut laced .1 version of the boot, so we’ll have to wait to see  if there are any further alterations to the radical collar of the Predator Freak + laceless version. The underside doesn’t look drastically different on first impressions, with maybe a slight tweak to the stud shape.

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Another interesting point of note though is that Jude Bellingham is a COPA man, having been wearing the COPA Sense .1 this season. So does this mean that he could be set to shift silos? He certainly seems to have a soft spot for the Predator, having been spotted in the golden Accelerator a couple of weeks back…

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Stay tuned for more updates on the next gen adidas Predator as and when they drop...