Young Turkish star Arda Güler has been one of the standout performers in the early stages of the season for Real Madrid. Xabi Alonso’s side have made a perfect start to La Liga, winning all three of their opening matches, with Guler playing a significant role. His situation at the club, however, is dramatically different from previous seasons under Carlo Ancelotti. As it now appears, Ancelotti was far less convinced of Guler’s impact than Alonso.
Arsenal previously interested in Güler
According to renowned journalist Fabrizio Romano, Guler’s future could have been very different. Premier League club Arsenal seriously considered signing him.
“Around October or November 2024, Arsenal were ready to act if Carlo Ancelotti had remained at Real Madrid and the club had been willing to let Arda Guler go,” Romano explained. “The club planned an approach to try to secure Guler before Xabi Alonso arrived, as Alonso would have blocked any transfer opportunities.”
Arsenal saw Guler as a similar opportunity to their previous signing of Martin Ødegaard. However, Arsenal’s new sporting director Andrea Berta and Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso quickly ended all speculation. From the start of his time at Real Madrid, Guler has always been determined to succeed at the club.
Güler thriving under Alonso at Real Madrid
It is clear why Güler has become a key player under Alonso. Operating in a deeper midfield role, he has impressed with his performances. It will be interesting to see whether he retains his place in the starting eleven when Jude Bellingham returns from injury, expected within the next six weeks. Despite the competition, Alonso clearly values Guler highly.
Real Madrid return to action after the international break this weekend, facing Real Sociedad on Saturday. As mentioned, Los Blancos are 100 per cent after three La Liga matches and sit top of the table. Real Sociedad have surprisingly collected only two points from their opening three fixtures.
This article was originally published on Fotbal Portal.
