Real Madrid youngster explains his decision to reject Barcelona move in favour of Santiago Bernabeu | OneFootball

After making a big-money move to Real Madrid last summer, Arda Guler has endured a rather slow start to life at Santiago Bernabeu.

Regarded as one of the most talented young attackers in Europe, Guler’s progress this season has been marred by injuries.

The young Turk, though, raised many eyebrows with his recent performance against Real Sociedad, with the forward notably scoring the winner.

Days after his performance against Sociedad, Guler sat down with KAFA Sports for an interview, where he talked about his ‘dream move’ to Real Madrid while reminiscing about his time at Fenerbahce.

Arda Guler on Real Madrid move

When asked about his decision to choose Real Madrid over Barcelona, who were keen on signing him in the summer, Guler explained:

“I dreamed of Real Madrid since I was a little boy. While I was on vacation, my father called and said: ‘Real wants you’. I was extremely excited.”

Explaining his decision to join Real Madrid, the youngster added, “I could have stayed at Fenerbahçe for one more year, but I wanted to show the world what a Turkish young man from Fenerbahçe could do in Europe. I hope I will continue to show.”

One for the future (Photo by ANDER GILLENEA/AFP via Getty Images)

“Real Madrid fans cannot accept losing a match. That’s why you feel pressure. Real Madrid are meant to win,” he further said.

Guler went on to reveal that Real Madrid offered him the tantalising project of replacing Luka Modric in the long run.

“Real Madrid told me that I would be Modric’s heir. They offered a long-term project, and I was convinced,” he said.

Guler, though, has not featured much since joining Real Madrid, primarily because of injuries. The player, however, has no complaints with Carlo Ancelotti.

“Do I play enough? Our coach constantly talks about his plans. He prepares me. He is in constant communication,” he said.

Guler went on to talk about his teammates, including Luka Modric, the player he is supposed to replace in the years to come.

“I can’t call him Luka, I can’t call him Toni, they are older. I learned this in my family. I feel like I’m disrespecting them. I call Toni brother and Modric brother. That’s why they started calling me brother,” he said.

“I constantly try to learn something from Kroos and Modric, I constantly ask them questions and get advice,” he added.

Talking about how Real Madrid teammates perceive him, he said, “I try to learn something from everyone. Alaba, Rudiger, Valverde, Diaz. I spend the most time with them.”

“What do they call me the most? They say Turko, they say Abi,” revealed Guler, who, as mentioned earlier, starred in Real Madrid’s recent win over Real Sociedad.

Talking about his celebration after scoring a goal against Sociedad, Guler reiterated his belief in god, stating, “It is based on trust. I believe that everything comes from Allah.”

Guler also talked openly about the adulation he receives from Turkish fans, adding, “The support of the Turkish people gives me strength.”

Finally, Arda Guler reflected on his time at Fenerbahce, especially on whether or not the Turkish outfit should have received more from the deal.

“Together with our family, we requested Real Madrid to pay a little more. They kindly agreed they understood,” he revealed.

Guler, though, denied his father’s getting a cut from the Real Madrid deal, adding, “Such a thing is not even possible.”