This season is going to be an extremely important one for Arda Guler. He has the backing of a manager who trusts him much more than his past counterpart, and it could be a defining factor in his Real Madrid career.
The quality of the young gun is not in doubt at all, he showed that last season. I bet he made Carlo Ancelotti and the club regret not giving him regular minutes earlier, which might have put them in a better position to save the awful season they had.
This time, Xabi Alonso is known to be a great admirer of Guler, so much so that he wanted to sign the midfielder for Bayer Leverkusen before he joined Real Madrid.
So the upcoming months are going to be full of opportunities for Guler, and he must have a clear plan to get the most out of them. Speaking to the media before tonight’s clash against Pachuca in the Club World Cup, Guler was asked about his goals for the new season.
And he laid out two very simple but bold goals when he said, “Play as much as possible and win every trophy.”
Arda Guler can be the main man for Xabi Alonso
I think the two goals the youngster has set sound general but are very appropriate and fitting with his narrative. He has not been able to get the desired minutes previously, so the first goal, to play as much as he can, is good for starters.
It must be highlighted that he was one of the very few players who were not injured at all last season. That gives a big incentive to Xabi and his team to trust Güler even more.
Although he will have to battle with Rodrygo and Franco Mastantuono to get time on the right wing, I think he is very capable of impressing Xabi and earning some good minutes this season.
And to win every trophy has to be the modus operandi of every Real Madrid player. They must know that this club is very demanding, and they need to establish and prove themselves every minute of every game. Güler recognizing that need and adhering to it feels reassuring.