Aston Villa's president of football operations Monchi considered Real Madrid's Arda Guler in January
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Arda Guler of Real Madrid
Arda Guler of Real Madrid(Image: Anadolu via Getty Images)
Monchi has revealed Aston Villa considered Real Madrid’s Arda Guler in the winter transfer window.
The 20-year-old Turkish wonderkid was viewed as a playmaker who could make an impact under Unai Emery, before Villa opted to seal a loan move for Marco Asensio.
Signed until the end of the season from Paris Saint-Germain, Asensio has scored seven goals in his last five games.
Guler, meanwhile, joined Madrid in the summer of 2023 from Fenerbahce in a deal worth around €30m.
Dubbed 'the Turkish Messi', he penned a six-year deal at the Bernabeu but has struggled for game time, starting only 10 La Liga matches since the start of last season.
Villa’s president of football operations, Monchi, was asked about the youngster during an interview with Radio Marca on Tuesday night.
“I know Arda Guler well because he is a player that every sporting director has followed in his development in Turkey,” Monchi said.
“And well, obviously, if he signed with Madrid at the time, it’s because they believed in his potential...
“In January, I thought he was the type of player I typically admire. He's a player who met a series of requirements that could be attractive to Aston Villa because we were looking for a position that is not the same as the one Marco Asensio occupies, but we were more or less looking for that profile.
“Now there are players between the lines who can play as a 10, he can even play on the outside, coming in. But, in the end, we signed Marco.
“For me, he’s a player I like, obviously. The competition in Madrid is very high and, of course, as I always say, he has to play for Arda Guler. Who do you remove? He [Carlo Ancelotti] can't play with 12.
“The one who understands that best is the coach - Ancelotti. And if he doesn't give him minutes, it’s because he thinks there's another teammate.
“But to me personally, he seems like a player with very good technical skills, and I also think he has personality.
“He demonstrates this when he plays for the Turkish national team, where he takes on roles that are beyond his age.”
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