Real Madrid fans were impressed with Arda Guler again on Saturday in a tough 2-1 win over Espanyol. The Turkish international did not start in the midfield with Jude Bellingham unsurprisingly shining in the No. 10 role as the Man of the Match and then Bernardo Silva and Fede Valverde as the double pivot behind him, but he did start on the right wing and lead the team with seven key passes, as well as the assist for Bellingham's opener.
Going forward, Guler likely is not going to get many starts on the right wing. Yan Diomande came off the bench and played very well on the right wing as well, and Real Madrid signed the Ivorian international for 140 million euros from RB Leipzig to be the main man on that flank.
Jude will be the regular starter at the 10, as Jose Mourinho himself confirmed, because he knows that he needs the goal scoring touch and box crashing that the England World Cup hero can provide Real Madrid.
Arda Guler is about to be a familiar player for Jose Mourinho
So Arda Guler is expected to be a No. 6 and No. 8 hybrid in what is likely to be a double pivot of the Turkish international and one of Silva, Valverde, or Aurelien Tchouameni sitting behind Jude. It is a role Mourinho himself carved out for another great attacking midfielder of the past in Cesc Fabregas, who successfully transitioned into being a double digit assist No. 6 in the Premier League during the late stages of his career after he slowed down physically.
Now, Guler is still not even in his prime and growing as an athlete, but everyone can tell that he isn't the usual profile of a No. 10 in the Real Madrid team and is nowhere near the athlete Yan Diomande is on the right wing or even Jude Bellingham is as an attacking midfielder.
Jose Mourinho has designs of making Guler his own Cesc Fabregas, placing his most creative player in a deeper role as a regista who is still one of the leaders in providing assists instead of dribbling around the muck in the attacking midfield.
The Portuguese manager is still picking his best lineup and tactics for Real Madrid as he begins his second stint as Real Madrid manager, but there is a plan already taking shape and one that Mou is already hinting at. Madridistas can prepare to see a lot more assists and key passes from Guler this season, albeit in a much different role than before.
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