The Gunners might need to allocate a groundbreaking sum to secure Arda Guler from Real Madrid.
The Turkish player participated last night in the Champions League, featuring in Xabi Alonso’s starting eleven ahead of Jude Bellingham for Los Blancos – merely hours after the North Londoners triumphed in Spain themselves, defeating Athletic Club 2-0 in the opening match.
Considering Real Madrid’s satisfaction with Guler’s performances this term, they anticipate Guler becoming a central figure in another potential Premier League transfer situation.
The London side has reportedly engaged in preliminary discussions with Arda Guler’s representatives regarding a potential acquisition
The North London outfit invested significantly in bringing in eight fresh faces during the recent transfer window, with five of them – Cristhian Mosquera, Viktor Gyokeres, Eberechi Eze, Noni Madueke and Martin Zubimendi – marking their first appearances in the Champions League for the club last night.
The Gunners are also seemingly on track to secure their initial acquisition for the upcoming summer, targeting Piero Hincapie, with Bayer Leverkusen possessing a stipulation that compels the Londoners to activate a £45m acquisition option, as reported by The Athletic – nevertheless, sporting director Andrea Berta might be poised to surpass the Gunners’ transfer record once more.
According to information released by the Spanish publication Defensa Central, intermediaries have conveyed to Real that, assuming Guler maintains his current developmental course, clubs in the English Premier League will endeavor to acquire the Turkish international for a sum of €150 million.
The London based team has held a longstanding interest in the attacking midfielder, initially commencing dialogues with Guler three years prior while he was contracted to Fenerbahce, preceding a tentative proposition for a loan arrangement for the prodigious talent in November 2024, as documented by the Spanish media source, Sport.
Sources at FourFourTwo suggest, however, that Xabi Alonso is disinclined to permit the player’s departure to join his childhood acquaintance Arteta – with the aforementioned source further stating that Merengues president Florentino Perez would likely reject even the suggested groundbreaking offer.
Guler – who was previously ranked second in FourFourTwo’s listing of emerging teenage talents last campaign – has solidified his position as a prominent creative outlet within Real Madrid’s squad, securing starting roles ahead of established names, as Alonso demonstrates a preference for incorporating youthful players and a high-intensity pressing approach.
Despite their pre-existing interest, the North London club, conversely, are unlikely to sanction a record-breaking acquisition for the number 10, considering their extensive attacking resources at present – particularly as Guler’s playing style most closely resembles that of Martin Odegaard within the Gunners’ setup, with Ethan Nwaneri serving as his understudy at the Emirates Stadium.
Guler’s estimated valuation stands at €45m, according to Transfermarkt.
