Arda Guler is highly ambitious. Shortly after recovering from surgery, the 18-year-old newcomer at Real Madrid immediately attached himself to senior player Toni Kroos to learn during training sessions ahead of the Madrid Derby.

As soon as Arda Guler signed his contract with Real Madrid, midfielder Toni Kroos issued a warning to the Turkish newcomer: “At Real Madrid, the pressure from expectations is greater than at any other club. I want to convey to Arda Guler that he needs to be cautious and alert. And if he wants to learn something from me, I am ready to guide him.”

With such heartfelt words, Guler wasted no time in rejoining his teammates after his injury and began closely shadowing Kroos during the initial training sessions. The 18-year-old midfielder showed a strong willingness to learn, prompting the German star to say, “Arda often asks me how to do this, how to do that. He seeks advice, even a lot of advice, while many 18-year-old players think they are already good enough and don’t need guidance.”

According to Guler, Real Madrid boasts numerous exceptional players, and he aims to learn from their strengths to improve himself. Specifically, the young midfielder hopes Kroos can teach him about intelligent positioning and ball control. He especially wants Kroos to pass on his passing skills, particularly in executing penetrating passes.

During the recent summer transfer window, Guler was pursued by several top European clubs. There were even rumors that Barcelona had reached an agreement to sign the player nicknamed “Messi of Turkey.” However, at the last minute, the 18-year-old player decided to change course and join Real Madrid after the Spanish giants agreed to pay Fenerbahce 30 million euros.

Guler has received plenty of praise from his Real Madrid teammates. Even coach Carlo Ancelotti holds a high opinion of the “Turkish Messi.” The Italian manager confidently declared that in a few years, Guler will develop into one of the world’s top stars. “He is one of the best midfielders in the world at his age,” Ancelotti affirmed.

Guler is a versatile player. He can play as a right-winger, center-forward, or even a false number 9, although his primary position is as an attacking midfielder.