Real Madrid may have been handed a boost in the race for teenage sensation Arda Guler, as it has been revealed that the 18-year-old has been a long-time fan of the club.
A number of clubs are interested in the Fenerbahce attacking midfielder, who is reportedly available for £15m this summer, but if Real Madrid make a move for the player, they may have an advantage no one else has.
A report from ESPN has claimed that Guler has been a massive fan of Real Madrid dating back to Mesut Ozil’s days at the club. Ozil, like Arda Guler, was born in Turkey, and both briefly played together for Fenerbahce before Ozil retired from football.
Ozil was a popular figure in his three seasons at Real Madrid, racking up an astonishing 81 assists in 159 games before leaving for Arsenal in 2014.
The World Cup winner is Guler’s idol and, given his admiration for the club, he may be inclined to choose Real Madrid over other interested parties if an offer is made.
Should Real Madrid move for Guler?
Despite his young age, Guler has already racked up nine goals and 12 assists for Fenerbahce, and has appeared in a variety of positions across attacking midfield areas.
Given his status as a supremely talented wonderkid, signing Guler could be a good move for Real, even if they do not intend to use him immediately.
If they can beat the other interested clubs to his signing at a relatively low price now, they could even loan Guler out to another La Liga side for his development, before eventually finding a spot in the first team for him.
While Madrid are well stocked in young central midfielders, Guler can help supplement Rodrygo and Vinicius Junior as wide options in the future, and if he can emulate his idol’s creativity, he may become quickly popular amongst the fans in a similar way to Ozil 13 years ago.
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