This week, Real Madrid and FC Barcelona gave us the first Clasico of the 2023-24 season. And it was not on the green rectangle that the two enemies fought, but on the field of the transfer window. The Merengues and the Blaugranas have, in fact, disputed the favors of the young and promising Arda Güler. While he seemed promised to the Culés according to several Iberian media, the Turk finally joined the Casa Blanca. Another failure for Barça, which has already seen Lionel Messi and Marcelo Brozovic pass under its nose this summer.
For the people of Madrid, on the other hand, it is a new success. After enlisting the very courted Jude Bellingham, the residents of the Santiago-Bernabéu stadium managed to get their hands on the nugget of Fenerbahçe. After the formalization of his arrival yesterday, the club of the Spanish capital presented his new recruit this Friday. As usual, she was accompanied by Florentino Pérez. The Madrid president had very sympathetic words for him.
The pride of Arda Güler
“Every time a new player arrives, he generates special joy among the millions of Madrid fans. Today we strengthen the present and the future. This team is having one of the biggest winning cycles in our history and it’s thanks to the players and the legends. Young people who grow up alongside legends and who are already showing their potential. Some have even already won all possible titles. Today, another of these young people arrives. He has enormous talent and he was wanted by the big European football clubs, it makes sense. Welcome Arda Güler.”
Real Madrid’s new number 24, who got on the podium earlier than expected and listened to Florentino Pérez’s speech on stage, then took the floor. “First of all, thank you to my family and the club. I also want to be a Real Madrid legend. Thank you for everything”. A little nervous, the young man, accompanied by his family, then posed in front of the photographers before returning to answer many questions from journalists. Accompanied this time by Emilio Butragueño, the 18-year-old said: “Above all, I want to remember Di Stéfano. It’s the biggest club in the world and I’m proud of it.”
He explains why he said yes to Madrid and no to Barca
Then, the media got into him a little more with a question about his choice and his preference to sign in Madrid rather than Barça. “There have been a lot of offers, but my priority has always been Real Madrid (…) Many clubs have submitted their offers. But as soon as Real Madrid appeared, everything else lost value.” A club where he intends to find his place despite the strong competition. “I feel ready, I am prepared. I come to work and to give everything (…) I like to create, but also to be offensive. Where am I going to play? It’s the manager’s decision.” A coach with whom he has already exchanged.
“The coach called me and said he wanted to see me live. He told me where he was going to put me; there are a lot of conversations.” With Güler, Carlo Ancelotti will have one more option in the midfield. And even if there is a risk of a traffic jam, the attacking midfielder wants to impose himself and does not imagine going on loan as has been the case for other young talents before him. “Yes, I exclude that possibility. I want to stay at Real Madrid (…) If Madrid gives me the opportunity to play, I will go. I don’t think about being loaned out. Madrid signed me and I’m here to play.” Relaunched on the subject, it was cash: “I repeat. Many clubs were interested in me, but here they assured me that I was going to play. It’s finish. Going out on loan is not in my plans.”
Exchanges with Mesut Özil
He therefore sees himself in Madrid, even if leaving Turkey was not easy. “It was hard. But if the best club in the world calls you and in addition, you can help financially Fenerbahçe, it had to be done. I really like the club and I hope they understand this decision.” A thoughtful decision. The young man also spoke to Mesut Özil, one of his idols with CR7 and Guti. “Yes, I spoke with Özil. It’s like a brother. He told me it was the most important club in the world.
A club where he will have the opportunity to play with one of his role models, a certain Luka Modric. “For me, Modric is the best midfielder in the world. I’m sure I’ll learn a lot from him.” Arda Güler could also inherit his number 10 in the future. But we didn’t promise him anything about it. “Today I arrive at the best club in the world and to convince me, they didn’t tell me anything. I do not know. For me, Modric is the best midfielder in the world, nothing more. Arda Güler intends to draw inspiration from it, he who does not want to be a shooting star in Madrid.
