Arda Guler has greater potential than Lionel Messi according to his first coach Erol Tokgözler.
Tokgözler trained the Real Madrid player before he signed for Fenerbahçe, at the age of 13 when he was still in Genclerbirligi and spoke to AS in in an interview detailing his impressions of the wonderkid.
Guler’s former coach claims the midfielder has a high ceiling and while he did make a comparison to Messi he did underline that he was referring to his ‘potential’.
READ: Who is Arda Guler? The 18-year-old ‘Turkish Messi’ Wanted by Europe’s Biggest Clubs
Tokgözler made it clear that there is a big difference between potential and achieving what Messi has achieved but nonetheless he did sing Guler’s praises in the interview.
“Messi is the biggest I’ve ever seen and Arda has great abilities,” Tokgözler said.
“Messi has already achieved everything and Arda has to do it, he is still a child. But if we talk about purely potential, Arda has more potential than Messi.
“Although he still has all the way to go. Your football is in the initial phase, you must play many games to become the player you can be. But, as I say, Arda’s potential is better than Messi’s. Speaking of potential only, of course.”
Tokgözler also described Guler as being a player similar to Luka Modric in terms of his style as he is a player who is dangerous on the ball and driving forwards in attack.
“At Real Madrid, I think Luka Modric. He is not a player like, for example, Toni Kroos. Arda’s main weapon is the ball and driving. He always has in mind to go forward, he plays very vertically, his passes are too, with the goal and the goal in his head,” he added.
Real Madrid fans will not have to wait much longer to see the 18-year-old make his debut.
Guler has recovered from injury and is on a special training program to regain match fitness. The Turkish international has yet to play for Real after picking up a knee injury during the pre-season US tour.
The attacking midfielder is expected to return to action in early November.
