While Arda Güler has struggled for regular minutes within Carlo Ancelotti’s stacked Real Madrid side this season, the Turkish wonderkid’s impressively shone in his recent outings.

By Edward Stratmann

Handed some valuable starts against Leganes and Liverpool, plus producing the goods as a second-half substitute vs. Getafe, there’s been much to like about what he’s brought to the table in the absence of Vinícius Júnior and Rodrygo (note: Rodrygo did make his return in the Getafe game).

Illustrating why he’s considered one of the hottest prospects in Europe, the 19-year-old’s technical wizardry, intelligent movement and game-changing capabilities have been evident.

“Arda has contributed a lot when it comes to creativity in the final third, he has been close to scoring goals, he has played a complete game,” explained Ancelotti after the Leganes victory.

“These are players that we can count on at this moment because the demands of the games are very high. We need everyone going forward.”

Eager to stamp his mark following an injury-interrupted first campaign with Los Blancos, where he still underlined his quality by scoring six LaLiga goals in just 373 minutes before shining for Türkiye at the Euros, he’ll be keen to keep up his momentum.

Such a master with the ball at his feet, the talent labelled the ‘Turkish Lionel Messi’ wreaks havoc on the dribble, with his razor sharp changes of pace and direction, crafty repertoire of manoeuvres to outfox foes, low centre of gravity and Velcro-like first touch and ball control ensuring he’s a handful for any defender.

Press resistant, excelling at weaving away from danger in close quarters and showing terrific awareness, it’s been hugely impressive watching him flex his muscles in this compartment.

Dangerous both when given time and space to surge ahead and in slower, methodical build-up, the man who relishes any 1v1 situation poses a massive threat no matter what scenario he’s confronted with.

Capable of operating centrally and out wide, the classy, balanced playmaker’s passing elevates his menace, with him parlaying vision, invention and execution brilliantly.

Composed under pressure and an instinctive reader of the play, this allows him to pinpoint colleagues with incisive through balls, penetrative line breaking passes, tidy interplay in confined zones and measured crosses, cutbacks and set pieces. 

Never afraid to shoot when in range, his aptitude in this regard definitely sets him apart from many younger players. Blessed with a powerful shot, but also capable of placing his strikes, Güler’s finishing is another key weapon in his arsenal.

Indeed, as can be seen in the graphic below from last season, and his 73% shot accuracy, 1.45 goals per 90, 0.35 expected goals per 90, 3.62 shots per 90 and six goals from 15 shots depicts his nuisance (even though this was from a relatively small sample size).

Quick to identify and exploit vacant spaces, his movement compounds issues for his adversaries, for he’s an expert at finding space in between the lines, in the half spaces and when venturing into the box.

Effectively targeting gaps either side of opposition backlines and shrewd at noticing when defenders are out of position or preoccupied, he duly pounces, which his 6.08 and 5.07 touches inside the opposition box from this and last season serves as a testament to.

The Ankara-born star on the rise has shown his willingness to contribute defensively as well, an area he’s constantly refining his craft in with every passing week on his way to winning 7.95 duels per 90 this campaign.

By the numbers, upon comparing him to teammate Brahim Díaz this season using FotMob data, and Güler admirably holds the ascendancy in a host of metrics such as shots per 90, shots on target per 90, XG per 90 and XA per 90.

Destined for a terrific future at the top level and boasting all the ingredients to develop into a truly world-class player, it appears the only things that could hinder him are injuries and securing game time in this fiercely competitive squad. 

“He has a great future if he stays healthy. What sets Arda apart from other young players is that he is open to learning. Since he arrived he paid a lot of attention to everything we did before and after training. There aren’t many players like that today,” insisted Real Madrid legend Toni Kroos to Sky.

“He really wants to learn and improve. His finishing and his left foot are incredible, we all noticed that from the first training session.”

Former Los Blancos coach and current Fenerbahçe boss in José Mourinho also offered some intriguing insights on the inordinately gifted phenom. “Arda is showing great personality and exceptional quality. To play at that club, personality is crucial. Players must internalise that they are good enough to play there. They can’t be afraid,” he stated to HT Spor.

“Ancelotti is a great coach to learn from. Playing for the Turkish national team and competing in major events like the Euro is also important for him to feel the responsibility of representing a great country.”

Growing all the time working under the exceptional Ancelotti and through training with a plethora of established aces at Madrid, he’s unquestionably in a tremendous environment to continue progressing.

Desperate to be more involved, there’s even been calls from Türkiye regarding their jewel’s lack of action, such is the concern at his predicament. Giants of the game in his homeland like Nihat Kahveci and Tayfun Korkat have expressed their worry and noted how detrimental spending too much time on the bench can be. They did, however, both praise his bravery and mental strength for taking on the challenge to join a powerhouse like Real Madrid.

“I pray for him to show his immense talent. He is a player of the highest calibre, and he thrives in leadership roles on the field. He needs to play more to develop. If Ancelotti gives him the continuity, he will progress spectacularly. It would have been easy for him to move elsewhere and become a figure, but he had the courage to stay, even though he knew it would be tough to secure a spot in the line-up,” commented Kahveci.

Still so young and with immense scope for improvement, only time will tell how his crusade unfolds. But if the determined Turk can keep grasping his chances with both hands then he’ll surely propel himself up the pecking order in his quest to contribute on a more frequent basis and fulfill his enormous potential.

If he can’t, it’s not all bad, for there’s plenty of clubs waiting to snap up the talented Güler if things don’t work out in Madrid. He’s just that good.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

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