Arda Güler Chooses Real Madrid: Young Wonderkid to Join Los Blancos
Arda Güler, the 18-year-old attacking midfielder, has made a significant decision for his football career this summer. Despite receiving strong interest from Barcelona, he has opted to join Real Madrid. The news was confirmed by club president Joan Laporta himself, who revealed that Güler had chosen Los Blancos over other potential suitors.
Once the deal is finalized, Güler is expected to become part of Carlo Ancelotti’s squad for the pre-season. The final negotiations to complete the transfer process are set to take place this week.
Güler’s contract with Fenerbahce, his current club, is valid until 2025 and includes a release clause of €17.5 million (£15m; $19m). Real Madrid, however, is prepared to pay more than the release clause to facilitate a smooth exit for the talented midfielder from Turkey. As part of the agreement, Fenerbahce will also retain a 20% sell-on clause, ensuring they benefit from any potential future transfer involving Güler.
The young Turkish international perfectly aligns with Real Madrid’s recent transfer strategy, ticking all the right boxes: youth, talent, and reasonable cost given his potential. His technical excellence has earned him comparisons to the likes of Mesut Ozil. Arda Güler’s performance for Fenerbahce in the previous season was outstanding, with no other player in his age group across Europe’s top five leagues having more goal involvements. Additionally, he was recently longlisted for the prestigious Tuttosport’s Golden Boy award.
Güler’s talents have garnered attention not only from Real Madrid but also from several other top clubs in Spain and the Premier League. Barcelona, Sevilla, Milan, and Arsenal were among the interested parties, and Barcelona even believed they had secured a deal when their sporting director, Deco, traveled to Istanbul. However, Real Madrid moved swiftly and presented an offer that Güler valued more highly, primarily due to his strong desire to don the iconic white shirt of Real Madrid.
Although Real Madrid initially considered the possibility of leaving Güler on loan at Fenerbahce for another season, the player’s unwavering eagerness to play for the club convinced them to sign him this summer.
Güler’s exceptional performances during Fenerbahce’s Europa League tie against Sevilla further piqued Real Madrid’s interest. In the 2022-23 season, he made 35 appearances for Fenerbahce, scoring six goals and providing seven assists. One of his standout displays came in the Turkish Cup final, where he played a decisive role with an assist, earning him the Man of the Match award.
As the transfer process nears completion, Arda Güler finds himself on the verge of fulfilling his dream of joining Real Madrid. The young wonderkid’s talent and potential have earned him this remarkable opportunity to play for one of the world’s most illustrious football clubs.
