Split image of Liverpool star Bradley Barcola and Real Madrid ace Arda Guler, with the Liverpool badge in between - copyright TEAMtalk
Liverpool star Bradley Barcola and Real Madrid ace Arda Guler
As Bradley Barcola struggles to find his feet at Liverpool, Jose Mourinho has raved about Real Madrid star Arda Guler after the Reds’ owners, Fenway Sports Group, earmarked him as an alternative to the former Paris Saint-Germain winger.
Liverpool paid PSG a total of £123million in transfer fees to sign Barcola in the summer transfer window.
The France international winger won the Champions League twice in the past two seasons with PSG, but his impact at Liverpool so far has been minimal.
While it would be harsh to judge Barcola on just three appearances for Liverpool, pundits such as Tim Sherwood and Paul Merson have written off the 24-year-old already.
While former Tottenham Hotspur manager Sherwood believes that Barcola does not have the finishing ability, ex-Arsenal star Merson thinks that the winger lacks “guile”.
Amid criticism of Barcola, Guler has been shining for Madrid under manager Mourinho.
The Turkey international, who can play as an attacking midfielder or as a winger, was one of the names that Liverpool considered making a move for in the summer transfer window as an alternative to Barcola.
On July 27, TEAMtalk’s transfer insider, Graeme Bailey, reported that while Barcola was “Liverpool’s top target” at the time, the Premier League club had Guler among nine alternatives.
Bailey added: “Liverpool have previously explored the situations of Brahim Diaz, Arda Guler and Endrick, and sources have confirmed all three are now players whose futures could be revisited because of Diomande should Madrid receive suitable offers.”
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Arda Guler starring for Real Madrid after Liverpool interest
Yan Diomande was supposed to be the right-winger for Madrid this season following his move from RB Leipzig in the summer transfer window.
However, it is Guler who has made the right flank his own under Mourinho.
The 21-year-old has scored one goal and given two assists in five matches in all competitions for Madrid so far this season.
Guler has also created 19 chances in LaLiga this season, the most by any player in the Spanish top flight.
The youngster is very likely to be in Madrid’s starting lineup against Elche in LaLiga on Tuesday evening.
Ahead of the game at Estadio Manuel Martinez Valero, Madrid manager Mourinho sang the praises of Guler and outlined what makes him such a special player.
Mourinho said about Guler: “There are people more qualified than me to talk about his development, people who have been here since he arrived, about how he’s transformed physically.
“But for me, his quality of play is incredible: his vision, his decision-making, his playmaking, the stability he brings to the team, his creativity…
“For me, he’s a player with fantastic potential who already has some very impressive stats.
“Obviously, we do deeper analyses than just the assist and goal tallies.
“He’s a player with a huge influence.
“Like you said, maybe I don’t want to go so far as to say ‘top, top, top’ three times, but we’re certainly already close to that level.”
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