Arda Güler Impresses Xabi Alonso — Could Become a Key Piece in Real Madrid’s Midfield Puzzle

If there was one shining light during Real Madrid’s Club World Cup heartbreak, it was the emergence of Arda Güler. Despite the team’s crushing 4-0 semifinal loss to Paris Saint-Germain, the young Turkish midfielder made sure his performances didn’t go unnoticed — especially by new head coach Xabi Alonso.

Now, heading into the 2025/26 season, Güler looks poised to play a much bigger role than many expected.

Güler Passes the Alonso Test

According to MARCA, Xabi Alonso has been quietly impressed with what Güler showed in the Club World Cup — not just his flair going forward, but his intelligence and tactical maturity in a new system.

Güler was deployed in a deeper role than usual, operating in midfield with a three-man defense behind him. It’s a position that required more defensive awareness and positional discipline — and he delivered.

What stood out wasn’t just his ability to break lines or carry the ball in tight spaces, but the way he adjusted to the demands of the system. For a 19-year-old still adapting to life at Real Madrid, this was no small feat.

Fresh Start Under a New Manager

After a rough couple of  seasons of limited minutes, Güler now enters preseason with renewed optimism. The arrival of Xabi Alonso — a coach known for valuing technical midfielders — might just be the turning point in the Turk’s Madrid career.

Güler has always had the raw tools: dribbling, creativity, and an eye for goal. But what he needed was a manager willing to trust him in high-pressure roles. Alonso, who himself was a metronome in Madrid’s midfield during his playing days, seems ready to offer that trust.

Early signs from training and internal evaluations suggest Güler could be part of Alonso’s core rotation — especially with Luka Modric now gone and Jude Bellingham recovering from injury.

A Positive Signal for Real Madrid

In a summer full of uncertainty, especially with transfer rumors surrounding big names like Rodrygo, Güler’s rise offers a dose of optimism.

It’s still early days under Xabi Alonso, but one thing is clear: Arda Güler has made an impression. And if preseason form is anything to go by, Madridistas may finally see the best of the Turkish wonderkid in the months ahead.