Real Madrid are in a difficult period, because even though they got back to winning ways with a Vinicius Junior hat trick- fueled 4-0 demolition of solid La Liga side Osasuna, they also lost superstar center back Eder Militao for the rest of the 2024/25 season.
Already, Real Madrid are falling behind Barcelona in the title race after a 4-0 drubbing in El Clasico, and they didn’t exactly instill confidence against top competition by getting dismantled by a thoroughly mediocre AC Milan side 3-1 in the Champions League.
Nobody is facing more pressure at the Santiago Bernabeu than manager Carlo Ancelotti, who, for the first time in his second stint at the club, is playing for his job.
Real Madrid don’t want to fire Ancelotti – certainly not before they can secure Xabi Alonso as his replacement – but they absolutely do want to see significant improvements, especially if they back him in the winter market with multiple defensive signings.
Fans, executives, and even other players at the club have been particularly annoyed with Ancelotti’s lack of usage of top young talents Arda Guler and Endrick, with the former’s limited minutes being of the greatest concern.
Guler scored 6 goals in just 373 La Liga minutes last season as one of European football’s most exciting talents, and he only enhanced his reputation this summer at the Euros with Turkey.
Ancelotti and others blew a whole bunch of smoke about how Guler would play an important role for Real Madrid in 2024/25, only to then have him sitting on the bench even when he could have helped in crucial games.
Guler is now being linked to teams all across European football, and MARCA’s Juan Ignacio Garcia-Ocho recently reported that no Real Madrid player received more transfer interest than the 19-year-old phenom this past summer.
And you have to think that if Guler was receiving that level of interest in the summer, imagine how many teams will send loan and permanent transfer offers to Madrid for a deal in 2025 after seeing his lack of usage.
Unlike other players, Guler has no history with Real Madrid aside from winning La Liga and the Champions League as a backup. He has no reason to feel valued by the club or have a special affinity to staying if he gets a better offer profesionally.
Real Madrid need to tread very, very carefully here. Each passing game where we see a shot of a forlorn Guler sitting on the sideline with teammates consoling him after their geriatric manager snubs him yet again is yet another step that Real are closer to losing one of their most valuable gems.
