Arda Güler is already delivering for Real Madrid in 2026. He has 2 goals and 2 assists in 9 La Liga appearances, plus 2 assists in one Champions League outing, and that output sits on top of a career path shaped by Portuguese coaches from the start.
Fenerbahçe made the first move
Guler made his Fenerbahçe first-team debut on 19 August 2021, aged 16. He needed only two minutes to register his first assist in his second match, and he scored his first career goal against Marafona after finishing that 2021/22 season with 16 appearances.
Vitor Pereira, who gave him that early platform, later said: "I worked for five years in the youth academy of FC Porto, one of the biggest clubs in Europe. I saw very few players of Arda Guler's calibre." Jorge Jesus also played down their touchline argument and said Guler's display was "one of his best".
Mourinho is getting the latest version
José Mourinho's view lines up with the numbers at Real Madrid. He said Guler is "a very talented player", added that he is "multifunctional", and called him "still not a finished player" at 21.
The output is why that assessment carries weight. Guler's best Real Madrid season so far is listed as 6 goals and 14 assists in 51 matches, and this season he is already on 2 goals and 2 assists from 9 league games. Across all club competitions in 2026, he has 10 appearances, 511 minutes, 2 goals and 4 assists.
Madrid's recent run has helped too. They have won 4 of their last 5, which gives Guler room to play with confidence, and his two assists in the 4-3 away win over AS Roma were a reminder that he is not just filling minutes. The next test comes with Madrid's 2026 schedule still unfolding, and Guler has already put himself in the centre of it.
Written by Daniel Hartley with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →
