Real Madrid’s young star, Arda Güler, was the most talked-about player with his move to Spain, but he is currently off the field due to a knee injury.
The 18-year-old was sent home from their preseason tour in the USA after a meniscus injury was discovered. Reports from the Spanish capital indicated that the knee injury might require surgery, which would keep him out of the field for 3-5 months.
However, eager to avoid surgery, Los Blancos are pursuing a conservative treatment for Güler, and the prognosis has been positive. It was initially estimated to be around two months, but Carlo Ancelotti has even reduced this, as he revealed to Diario AS.
“Speaking about medical issues is complicated. It’s not a serious problem. We were unsure whether to go for conservative treatment or surgery. In the worst case, it’s one month,” said the Italian coach.
He continued, stating that Güler seems like an “extraterrestrial” considering his age.
Sport has now referenced information from the Turkish newspaper Milliyet that both Fenerbahçe and Güler were aware of his knee problems before his move, which could be worth around 35 million euros in commissions.
They claim that Fenerbahçe and coach Jorge Jesus were advised in March that surgery was the only way to fix the injury properly, but they opted for conservative treatment. In light of their needs in the latter stages of the season, they decided to cancel the operation, and Güler continued to play for Turkey and Fenerbahçe. “I can play at 60 percent of my capacity,” and “sometimes it hurts,” he is believed to have told the Turkish medical staff ahead of their matches in March.
This doesn’t necessarily mean that Güler or Fenerbahçe deceived, as Real Madrid conducted its medical tests, and all parties may have concluded that he was fully recovered at that time.
Furthermore, Real Madrid is unlikely to have changed their mind about a deal, considering the exceptional talent Güler possesses. Perhaps they are handling this differently, if they believe it’s a recurring issue.