In the summer of 2023, Arda Guler moved from Fenerbahce to Real Madrid with high expectations. However, as soon as he arrived at the Royal team, the 19-year-old star had difficulty when he had to undergo knee surgery.
The recovery journey was not easy, as it took him six months to make his official debut for Los Blancos. Despite the difficult start, Guler was able to show his talent and quickly scored 6 goals in just 10 appearances in La Liga last season, averaging a goal every 73 minutes.
However, Guler's appearances in the starting lineup are still limited. The Turkish midfielder has only been on the field 4/10 times from the start. The situation is not better this season. The talent born in 2005 has only started 3 times in 7 matches in La Liga and the total time is only 250 minutes.
Many fans and some Real Madrid officials want Carlo Ancelotti to give Arda Guler more opportunities. So the question is, is there a plan for the teenage star's future?
Arda Guler had a memorable summer of 2024 when he became Türkiye's most impressive star at EURO. The Real Madrid midfielder had a beautiful goal and 2 assists, helping the team reach the quarter-finals. Before that excellent performance, the Santiago de Bernabeu team firmly refused all offers to recruit Guler.
After the tournament in Germany, Arda Guler returned to Türkiye for a short break but did not forget to maintain his fitness. The former Fenerbahce player hired a team of physiotherapists, personal chefs and fitness trainers to ensure he could train effectively. His hard work and effort have helped him improve his fitness significantly.
During Real Madrid's summer tour of the United States, Guler also impressed, shining alongside young talents such as Endrick and Jude Bellingham. The 19-year-old's development and close relationship with his teammates have brought hope for a bright future for him in Madrid.
With Toni Kroos retiring and Nico Paz moving to Como, many believe Real Madrid are planning a long-term deal for Arda Guler. Despite his limited playing time, the Turkish midfielder is patient. He hasn't started a Real Madrid game since September but believes his time will come.
There has been plenty of debate over whether Arda Guler should be getting more playing time, especially with Barcelona's young talent Lamine Yamal playing a key role for club and country.
Yamal has scored 5 goals in 37 La Liga games, while Guler has 6 goals in just 10 games, as a reason why Guler should be given more playing time. The comparison between these two young talents puts more pressure on Real Madrid to promote their young players.
According to the Spanish press, Guler's ideal position is creative midfielder, but this role is not really suitable for Carlo Ancelotti's 4-3-3 formation. Currently, Bellingham is taking this position and bringing the midfielder born in 2005 to the main squad is not easy. Real Madrid's midfield has many stars that are difficult to replace such as Valverde, Camavinga or Tchouameni.
However, both Real Madrid and Arda Guler are satisfied with the current situation and believe in a bright future. At the age of 19, the Turkish star still has a lot of time to practice and gain experience. If he makes good use of his playing opportunities, Guler will one day become an irreplaceable name at Santiago de Bernabeu.
