Real Madrid News
Arsenal, Manchester City had held talks with Real Madrid star over potential move – report
Real Madrid’s Arda Guler has been one of the standout performers for Los Blancos in an otherwise inconsistent start to the season.
The 21-year-old’s rise has not gone unnoticed in the Premier League, with a host of England’s biggest clubs keeping close tabs on the Turkey international.
Now, fresh details have emerged over just how serious that interest became during the summer.
Arsenal and City held talks over Guler
According to Graemy Bailey, both Arsenal and Manchester City held discussions with Guler’s representatives over a potential summer switch to England.
The two clubs were in the market for elite attacking reinforcements and are said to have outlined their plans for the player while attempting to tempt him away from the Spanish capital.
There was hope among the interested parties that Guler’s standing at the Bernabeu might become less secure under new head coach Jose Mourinho, potentially opening the door for an exit.
Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United are also understood to have made contact with his camp during the year, underlining just how coveted the playmaker has become.
Guler commits his future to Madrid
Those hopes, however, have now been firmly extinguished.
Guler had been given assurances by the club’s hierarchy that he remained central to their long-term plans, and he is understood to be a major favourite of president Florentino Perez.
Far from pushing him out, Mourinho has made his admiration clear, handing the youngster regular minutes and a growing role in the side.
That faith was on full display on Wednesday, when Guler delivered two assists as Madrid came from behind to win a thrilling 4-3 contest at Roma.
His future is now effectively settled. Guler has reportedly agreed a new contract that ties him to the club until at least 2031, extending a deal that previously ran to 2029 and rewarding his progress with a salary increase.
Real Madrid have an interesting selection dilemma at left-back, with Marc Cucurella and Alvaro Carreras competing for a starting spot under Jose Mourinho.
While Cucurella brings experience and an established reputation, Carreras is making an increasingly convincing case to become the team’s first-choice option.
The battle between the two Spaniards is particularly relevant given Madrid’s defensive difficulties so far this season.
Mourinho is searching for greater defensive stability and has an important choice to make between Cucurella and Carreras.
Carreras offers the defensive security Madrid need
One of Carreras’ biggest strengths is his ability to defend in one-v-one situations.
The 23-year-old generally looks comfortable against direct wingers, showing patience in his positioning and making it difficult for opponents to get past him.
That defensive reliability is particularly valuable in Mourinho’s system, where full-backs can find themselves isolated when Madrid lose possession.
Cucurella, meanwhile, has occasionally looked vulnerable against opponents attacking him directly, with space opening up for crosses from his side.
With Vinicius Junior usually playing ahead of him, the former Chelsea man does not get the defensive support he needs from his winger, leaving him isolated.
However, Carreras’ case is not built entirely on defending. He is also comfortable carrying possession forward, driving into space and helping Madrid progress down the left flank.
This makes him an attractive option for a team that has struggled to progress the ball up the pitch as consistently as they would have hoped.
Cucurella still offers qualities Mourinho values
Despite the growing case for Carreras, Cucurella should not be dismissed, and his reputation should not be forgotten.
His experience, aggressive pressing and willingness to engage opponents higher up the pitch can be useful when Madrid want to pin back the opposition.
He is also capable of moving into central areas to support possession, giving Mourinho different tactical possibilities.
However, Cucurella’s attacking contributions have not always been as influential as expected during these early weeks.
The Spaniard made a name for himself at Chelsea and with Spain by getting into attacking positions and creating chances for his teammates.
At Madrid, however, with the team looking to pass the ball quickly to runners like Vinicius and Mbappe, the best aspect of Cucurella’s game has not come to the fore.
This makes defensive solidity the primary requirement for Madrid’s left-back, and it is here that Carreras seems to have an advantage over Cucurella.
Carreras deserves an extended opportunity
At this stage, Carreras has a strong argument for becoming Madrid’s preferred left-back.
His defensive qualities appear particularly suited to the team’s immediate needs, while his ability to carry possession ensures Madrid would not sacrifice much attacking potential.
Instead of treating the left-back role as a game of musical chairs, Mourinho would be better off giving one of the two an extended run to make the position their own.
Competition for places is healthy as long as it does not breed insecurity, and at the moment, Carreras seems to be in better form than Cucurella.
It will not be easy to justify benching a summer investment, but Mourinho’s job is to make those difficult calls, and it remains to be seen how he approaches this decision.
