Debut for Real Madrid starlet Arda Guler will be close to Christmas after new injury is confirmed

Real Madrid starlet Arda Guler is once again back in the gym as he tries to recover from injury, but it appears the problem is more serious than Carlo Ancelotti initially let on.

The Italian confirmed he would miss their match against Valencia on Saturday, but claimed it was ‘nothing serious’. According to Diario AS, amongst others, his latest thigh problem will keep him out for at least a month.

Guler is yet to make his debut after moving for €25m from Fenerbahce this summer, and has received rave reviews from Ancelotti and teammates in training, but three successive injuries have kept him out of action. Despite making the Real Madrid squad for the last two matches, it looks as if he has suffered another issue.

Initially he had a meniscus problem that he tried to avoid surgery for, after it was detected in July. A month later, he would go under the knife. On his return in October, he suffered another muscle problem, keeping him out for several weeks. Ancelotti and the Real Madrid staff had put him on a personal fitness programme to give Guler a preseason workload, but he has broken down once more.

With the international break on the way, Guler will miss five matches at least, with Valencia (H), Cadiz (A), Napoli (H), Granada (H) and Real Betis (A). With Real Madrid likely to try and ease him back in, Guler could then make his debut on Union Berlin (12/12, A), Villarreal (17/12, H) or Alaves (20/12, A) before the Christmas break in La Liga,