Güler only arrived at the bright lights of Real in July.
Bellingham-mania has taken over at Real Madrid, and 18-year-old summer addition Arda Güler’s presence has subsequently faded into the famous white canvas.
A long-term project, the young Turkish midfielder is not under pressure to take La Liga by storm so soon after jetting in from Super Lig side Fenerbahce for an initial €20 million ($22 million) fee. Still, it could be a while before the midfielder makes his competitive debut, let alone exhibits his quality to a Santiago Bernabéu audience waiting in anticipation.
The first barrier has been physical. The number 24 suffered a knee issue during the club’s preseason camp and, having since rejoined training, requires further patience before he can find a way into coach Carlo Ancelotti’s thinking.
“He is quite good, but he lacks a bit of condition,” commented the Italian boss ahead of Los Blancos’ clash with Sevilla. “He will have his moment, I think in 10 days, two weeks, he will be at full fitness. He’s an offensive player; he is not a center-forward and is more like Bellingham, a playmaker. He can play on the wing as well, cutting in. He can play in a lot of positions.”
Güler (center) is still settling into the setup, while Bellingham, two years older, has hit the … [+]
For all his potential, the teenager, clearly slight in frame, is adapting to the uncompromising physical standards an elite club like Real demands. Even with sports science assisting in preparation and recovery, the results don’t arrive overnight. Güler is undergoing another mini, personalized training program, with the staff hoping to get him up to speed by early November, with the home contest against Rayo Vallecano a realistic return date.
The problem is—without a senior appearance—he is not returning. And, as Ancelotti alluded to, given Bellingham has proved himself as the man in central midfield, that adds another obstacle to Güler’s route into the first team. If he does feature, it may be from the wide positions at first.
It’s often difficult for fresh arrivals, even the most gifted, to establish themselves after walking through the Valdebebas gates. It didn’t work out for Arsenal captain Martin Ødegaard, the challenge perhaps coming too early in his development. As for now-retired Eden Hazard, he was a massive letdown when he joined later in his career, although he was unfortunate to suffer lengthy injury spells.
Güler’s step up comes while Real is future-proofing its star-studded squad. The board has reportedly tied down talents Federico Valverde and Eduardo Camavinga to new contracts and has Vinícius Júnior, Rodrygo and Éder Militão’s signatures next on the agenda.
If the teenager follows suit one day, his development will rest on himself and Real’s next coach. Ancelotti’s deal runs out in 2024 when he swaps the Spanish capital for the Brazilian national team job. By then, another character will be through the door, or at least decided.
That man could be Xabi Alonso, arguably the hottest up-and-coming prospect in European club management, having transformed a Bayer Leverkusen team ready to fight Bayern Munich for the Bundesliga in Germany this campaign. After coaching Real Sociedad’s younger B team, Alonso would relish nurturing someone like Güler.
Güler will have to wait—potentially a few months before making his mark. A momentous European Championships for Turkey sits on the horizon, and, injury permitting and with the right conditions, there will be time to shine, assuming he sticks at it.
