Real Madrid fans will have to put their excitement on ice once more, after Carlo Ancelotti told the press that wonderkid signing Arda Guler was not yet ready, despite returning to training.
Guler is yet to make an appearance for Real Madrid yet, after his €25m summer move from Fenerbahce. Picking up a meniscus problem in preseason, he had to have surgery a month after trying to recover without it. Just as he was due to return last month, he suffered a muscle problem late in training, and was ruled out for three more weeks.
Now back in training, Guler was reportedly in line to make his first squad on Saturday against Sevilla, but will now miss that match. Other reports from Madrid claim the club are putting Guler through a mini-preseason.
Ancelotti was asked about his fitness and his position.
“He is quite good but he lacks a bit of condition. He will have his moment, I think in 10 days, two weeks, he will be at full fitness. He is an offensive player, he is not a centre-forward and he is more like Bellingham, a playmaker. He can play on the wing as well, cutting in, he can play in a lot of positions.”
Later he was also asked how Guler was handling such a tough start to his time in the Spanish capital.
“Everyone has all the time for Guler, because he is young. He has to adapt well and they are helping him. He is not happy because he wanted to start in a different way… but he has all the time in the world to do well here. He will be soon be ready to show all of his great number of qualities to the world.”
Ancelotti also confirmed that Dani Ceballos would not be fit to return to his native Andalusia to face Sevilla, adding himself and Guler to an injury list featuring Eder Militao and Thibaut Courtois.
Despite the tough start, there is plenty of evidence in Ancelotti’s press conferences that he is rather impressed with Guler, and based off of that, it would be no surprise if he did have a big impact when he returns.
