“Arda Güler doesn’t look happy at Real Madrid”

The young midfielder has not seen as many minutes this season as many expected given the lack of midfield options in Madrid.

Arda Güler's season at Real Madrid has started slowly, with the young talent playing just 307 minutes in 12 games, of which he started just three. This limited involvement has raised concerns in Turkey, where fans and analysts are keen to see him flourish.

Among those expressing their views is Turkish football legend Mustafa Denizli, who played almost 400 games for Altay Izmir and Galatasaray, scoring 124 goals and later won league titles as a coach with Turkey's 'big three'. Denizli, now a TV commentator, provided a critical assessment of Güler's current trajectory at the LaLiga club and suggested it is far from ideal.

Concerns about Güler's condition

Denizli's criticism extended to Güler's performance in Turkey's recent 0-0 draw with Wales. “He showed immaturity during the match,” Denizli noted. “It is normal for a player in his situation: he is not at the same level as when he left for Real Madrid. He does not seem happy there,” concluded the Alçati-born former star.

During that match, Turkish coach Vincenzo Montella decided to replace Güler with Kaan Ayhan in the 86th minute, while the match was still goalless. At the post-match press conference, Montella explained the rationale behind the decision: “It's never easy to take away a player like him. He is a unique talent.

“However, he has not had consistent playing time before this match and I was concerned about his physical condition. The introduction of Kaan gave us the strength we needed in midfield.” Montella's comments subtly underlined the challenges Guler faces at Real Madrid, where his lack of regular playing time has become increasingly apparent. This is also not an isolated case at the club, with young striker Endrick also taking a wrong turn at Los Blancos.