Arda Guler: 'The Turkish Messi' who has joined Real Madrid
We've had the 'Iranian Messi', the 'German Messi', the 'Scottish Messi' and many more. Now say hello to the man dubbed the 'Turkish Messi' - Arda Guler.
Being compared to Argentine legend Lionel Messi is now a right of passage for any young attacking player, especially those with a low centre of gravity and superb dribbling skills, both of which the 18-year-old from Altindag possesses.
So far nobody has lived up to the hype, certainly not the aforementioned Sardar Azmoun, Marko Marin and Ryan Gauld. In all likelihood, no one ever will.
However, there is genuine hope that the ludicrously-talented Guler can become one of those to move beyond the tag and forge his own stellar path - one that has now led him to the league the man he is being compared to spectacularly tore up for much of his unparalleled career.
Guler has been heavily linked with a move to one of Europe's biggest clubs from almost the moment he stepped in to Fenerbahce's first team, such is his prodigious talent. Messi's former club Barcelona were open about their interest, with president Joan Laporta even sending sporting director Deco to negotiate a deal.
It will really stick in Catalonian craws then that the player has instead opted to join their fierce rivals Real Madrid, joining an ever growing cast list of the continent's most promising talent at the Bernabeu.
What has really whet the appetite of his suitors - which also apparently included Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Paris St-Germain and Premier League trio Arsenal, Manchester United and Newcastle - is the reported existence of a release clause of just 17.5m Euros (£15m), triggered by him having played 1,500 first-team minutes. external-link
At a time when the likes of Kai
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