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Real Madrid sign 18-year-old footballer Arda Güler dubbed the ‘Turkish Messi’
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Real Madrid sign 18-year-old footballer Arda Güler dubbed the ‘Turkish Messi’

(CNN) — Real Madrid have signed 18-year-old football sensation Arda Güler from Turkey’s Fenerbahçe, the Spanish club announced on Thursday.

Güler is one of the most sought-after prospects in the sport and his signing would be a competition between many big-name teams.

But Real Madrid ultimately won the race to add their talent and potential to their squad, with Güler signing a six-year contract with the club merengue.

During his official presentation with his visibly emotional family, Güler expressed his excitement at signing for the legendary club, jumping onto the lectern alongside club president Florentino Pérez before the Los Blancos supremo finished his speech. .

Güler then shared a short comment: “First of all, thank you to my family, to the people who helped me to get to this point and to this club. I also want to be a Real Madrid legend. Thank you for everything” , said the new Madrid player.

Arda Güler celebrates a Fenerbahçe goal against Trabzonspor, during a Turkish league match. (Credit: Serhat Cagdas/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)

Güler’s low center of gravity, close control and dribbling ability in tight spaces, as well as his preferred position on the right side of the pitch to allow him to cut with his stronger left foot, have earned him comparisons with the great Lionel Messi, for whom fans nicknamed him the Turkish Messi.

Güler has had a great season at Fenerbahçe over the past 12 months, where he made his first-team debut in 2021 aged 16; he provided some early help and gave fans a taste of what was to come.

He scored six goals in 35 appearances in the 2022/23 season, helping Fenerbahçe win the Turkish Cup with a performance for which he was named man of the match.

According to statistics site Opta, Güler has created 40 goalscoring chances, one every 23 minutes, over the past season, which is the best average recorded by a player in a Turkish Süper Lig season since 2014-2015.

Güler’s international debut

Turkey’s midfielder Arda Guler (L) celebrates scoring her team’s second goal during the UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying Group D soccer match between Turkey and Wales at Samsun Yeni 19 Mayis stadium on June 19 2023. (Photo by OZAN KOSE / AFP)

Güler is also part of the Turkish national team and made his debut at the age of 17.

Since then he has been capped four times and scored his first international goal for the senior team in his last game, delivering a dazzling effort against Wales in a Euro qualifier.

In doing so, Güler became the youngest player in his country’s history to score for the national team, at just 18 years and 114 days old.

He will now compete for a place in Real Madrid’s starting squad alongside a host of talent, including Vinicius Jr. and Rodrygo in the front tier, and the team’s exceptional midfield squad who have added Jude Bellingham to his partner Toni Kroos, Luka Modric, Eduardo Camavinga. , Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni.

The excitement of his arrival in Madrid seems to permeate the dressing room with Real Madrid star Vinicius Jr., who tweeted: “Another one who chooses the greatest”.