Arda Guler’s arrival at Real Madrid last summer sparked excitement, but injuries derailed his pre-season and limited his playing time initially.
Back in form since January, the young Turkish midfielder has expressed his desire for more minutes, while acknowledging Real Madrid’s philosophy of developing young players gradually.
READ: Who is Arda Guler? The 18-year-old ‘Turkish Messi’ Wanted by Europe’s Biggest Clubs
Despite public displays of frustration, Guler maintains a positive attitude. “We all want to be on the pitch from minute 1 to minute 90,” he told Kafa Sports. “But there are a few things in the philosophy of this club.
“They are intensively preparing many young players. So, I don’t feel sad when I’m not playing. I do everything I can to play as many minutes as possible.”
Open communication with manager Carlo Ancelotti seems to be key, Guler was full of praise for the head coach who he revealed has reassured him along the way.
“Ancelotti and I talk a lot,” he added.
“Even before I came here. I asked him if he was going to play, where, what my situation would be like.
“And he always told me his plans with me. This was one of the reasons why I came, because he offered me realistic plans. He said he’d play me when I was ready.
“He’s in constant contact with me. Not to tell me that he looks good in training, not to tell me that he looks better at me. He tells me that I will have more opportunities at the end of the league. I believe in him too.”
Ancelotti’s promise of more opportunities towards the end of the season appears to be on track.
The 19-year-old did not feature in the Champions League semi-final clash against Bayern Munich but could feature this weekend.
The Turkish international made his full debut for Real in the 1-0 victory over Real Sociedad last week with Guler scoring the winning goal.
Guler’s impressive performance against Real Sociedad could be a sign of things to come. With a home game against Cadiz approaching, Guler might get another chance to showcase his talent.
