By Martin Graham
Once heralded as “the Turkish Messi,” Arda Güler encountered significant challenges during his first full campaign with Real Madrid. Though expectations were high following his move from Fenerbahçe, the 20-year-old struggled for consistent playing time under former head coach Carlo Ancelotti. Despite a promising end to the 2023–24 La Liga season—scoring six goals in just 10 matches and helping secure the league title—Güler couldn’t cement his place in the lineup.
In the early months of 2024–25, his progress stalled. Though he arrived in Madrid with immense promise and was expected to contribute significantly to the midfield overhaul, he was frequently overlooked for key fixtures. Most notably, he didn’t feature in either leg of Real Madrid’s Champions League quarter-final exit against Arsenal. With fewer than 1,800 total minutes on the pitch across all competitions, only long-term injured players saw less action. As rumors swirled about a possible departure, a major shift occurred—Ancelotti exited, and Xabi Alonso took charge.
The coaching change seems to have completely changed Güler’s fortunes. He is now thriving under Alonso, who has recognized the young midfielder’s desire to play a more central role—something Güler had long expressed. While his past deployments oscillated between the center and the right wing, Alonso has made a clear choice to use him in the middle of the park. That decision is already paying off, as Güler delivered standout performances in group stage victories over Pachuca and RB Salzburg, starting in a central attacking midfield position, while Luka Modrić, Dani Ceballos, and Brahim Díaz remained on the bench.
In those matches, Güler seized his opportunity. He netted Real’s second goal against Pachuca and dictated play against Salzburg, completing more passes than any of his teammates during his time on the pitch. In both games, he was later substituted for Modrić, a substitution pattern that felt almost ceremonial—suggesting a symbolic passing of the torch from the Croatian legend to the Turkish prodigy. With Modrić expected to depart for AC Milan following the Club World Cup, Alonso appears to have already lined up his successor in Güler.
The rise of a central playmaker
One of the main challenges Güler faced under Ancelotti was a lack of positional clarity. While he often featured on the right flank early in his career—inviting comparisons to Lionel Messi due to his sharp left foot and inward runs—he has consistently voiced a preference for operating through the center. Alonso appears to share that vision, emphasizing Güler’s need to stay near the ball to influence the flow of the game. His recent assignments in central midfield reflect that mutual understanding.
Among those backing Güler’s central role is Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Vítor Pereira. Having handed the youngster his professional debut at Fenerbahçe in 2021, Pereira is well-acquainted with his abilities. Comparing him to a young James Rodríguez, whom he coached at Porto, Pereira highlighted Güler’s advanced decision-making and technical quality even at a young age. According to Pereira, Güler was always looking to be involved, immediately requesting the ball again after mistakes—an early indicator of his strong mentality.
Pereira, like Güler and Alonso, rejects the comparison to Messi and sees him instead as a traditional number eight or ten. He praised the midfielder’s intelligence, spatial awareness, and creative versatility—citing his ability to play incisive passes, shoot from distance, and understand the tactical needs of the match. In Pereira’s view, Güler’s traits make him the ideal candidate to fill the void Modrić will leave behind.
Last season’s setbacks have not dampened the belief in Güler’s potential. Pereira emphasized the difficulty of making an impact at a club filled with elite talent but expressed full confidence in his former protégé’s future. With the right combination of skill and mindset, Pereira believes Güler is destined to play a central role at the highest level of the sport.
Only a few weeks into Alonso’s tenure, Güler’s reintegration is already underway. If he delivers a strong showing in the upcoming Round of 16 clash against Juventus, it may serve as the clearest indication yet that the Turkish midfielder is ready to emerge as one of world football’s next stars.
