With a statement on the club’s official website, Real Madrid have announced the signing of highly-rated young talent Arda Güler from Fenerbahce, Soccernet.ng reports.
The promising attacking midfielder will put pen to paper on a long-term contract with Los Blancos.
Real Madrid had been pursuing Güler for several weeks, and they were willing to surpass his reported release clause of €17.5 million (£15 million/$19 million) to secure his services.
The 18-year-old will join Madrid on a six-year deal for an initial fee of €20 million (£17 million/$22 million), with an additional €10 million in potential add-ons included in the agreement. Fenerbahce is said to have a 20% sell-on clause for the young talent.
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Güler represents Real Madrid’s fourth signing of the summer, joining Jude Bellingham, Joselu, and Fran Garcia as part of the club’s busy transfer window activities.
Interestingly, Nigerian football legend and former Fenerbahce hero Austin Okocha is a big admirer of Güler.
In a recent interview with Hurriyet, Okocha praised the gifted playmaker, stating that Guler has the potential to become a great player once he moves abroad. Okocha advised Guler to work hard to achieve his full potential and emphasised treating each game as a fresh challenge.
Okocha said: “I have watched two of Arda Güler’s matches, and he is an excellent player. He will only get better. To become a legend and a hero, he needs to work hard. I can give him this advice.
“Also, he should forget about every game he played immediately. Every match is a new challenge. He has many years ahead of him. If he goes abroad, it will be a step towards becoming a global star by being in a different environment.”
Güler is scheduled to be presented to the media on Friday at noon and is expected to join Real Madrid for preseason preparations in the upcoming weeks.