The 18-year-old teenager might become the first Turkish player to play league football for a Spanish club since Nuri Sahin in May 2012 after Real Madrid signed Arda Guler from Fenerbahce this summer.
What makes Guler unique, and why did the La Liga's top teams go to such lengths to sign him?
He joined Fenerbahce at the age of 14 in 2019 after graduating from the Genclerbirligi Academy, which has traditionally been known for producing talented players. Fenerbahce supporters quickly became enthused about their young, gifted player. Guler made his Turkish Super Lig debut in less than two minutes after coming on as a substitute in August 2021 at the age of 16, helping his club win with a deft shimmy past a defender before assisting the goal scorer, Mert Hakan Yandas.
He didn't play much that season despite a strong start. Fenerbahce, however, gave him playing time near the conclusion of the games so he could have a taste of first-team football, showcasing his young skill. During the 2021–22 season, Guler played a total of 286 minutes in 12 games, yet his effect was noteworthy. He delighted Fenerbahce with flashes of what was to come by scoring three goals and dishing out three assists.
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| Arda Güler |
Despite Guler's two goals in Fenerbahce's 6-0 win over Kasimpasa in their second game of the season, many people anticipated that Guler would see regular playing time on Jesus' squad. That wasn't the case, though, as he only appeared for 41 minutes in six of Fenerbahce's opening Super Lig games.
Thankfully, Guler received playing time in the UEFA Europa League to help him grow. He made history in one of those games, a match against Dynamo Kyiv in November, by being the fourth-youngest scorer and assister in the competition's history at the age of just 17 years and 251 days.
Guler had to wait until the match against Kasimpasa on January 29 before receiving playing time for the league campaign. Guler had impressed against Kasimpasa at the start of the 2022–23 season, and he didn't let them down in their 5-1 victory, setting up goals for his teammates and tallying a match-high five goals.
Guler struggled to make an appearance in Fenerbahce's final 17 Super Lig games after being benched for the following two league games. Fan desire for Guler to be given a shot in the starting lineup was growing quickly. Guler was placed on the right flank, but when given the chance to show off his undeniable talent, he used his superb left foot to send a cross from outside the box to Dani Warda. He did so, becoming Turkey's youngest scorer at the age of just 18 years and 114 days.
There are worries that Guler's Real Madrid career could falter at the wrong time, and Fenerbahce might require an additional season to develop Guler's abilities. Given the abundance of attacking skill on Carlo Ancelotti's squad, it seems unlikely that Guler will play for the first team during the 2023–24 campaign. He might borrow money to help him develop. Only two players under the age of 21 represented Real Madrid in La Liga during the previous season: Alvaro Rodriquez (75 minutes) and Eduardo Camavinga (2,001 minutes).
