Real Madrid have agreed terms with Arda Guler on a contract that runs to 2031. The deal adds two years to the one he already had, which was set to expire in 2029, and it is the first time the Turkey international has renewed since he moved to the Spanish capital. He is 21, and he will be 26 by the time this one runs out.
Negotiations had been going on for several weeks. As in Spain first reported them back in September, and the agreement now ties one of the squad's most-used creative players to the club through what should be his best years.
A different standing under Mourinho
Guler's situation has changed a lot. In his first seasons at the Bernabeu he was fighting for minutes; this term he has started five times already, and last season he was in the starting lineup 40 times across all competitions. The numbers behind that were not bad either, with six goals and a team-leading 14 assists.
Jose Mourinho has been generous about him in public without pretending to be the one who built him. "While those who have guided his daily progress since he signed are better placed to track his trajectory, his natural brilliance is undeniable," the Portuguese said. Reports have suggested Guler wants more responsibility in a central role following Toni Kroos' retirement, which is the sort of thing a player only pushes for when he already feels secure.
Part of a much longer list
This is not a one-off. Madrid have spent the past year locking down contracts on a timescale that most clubs would find uncomfortable. Aurelien Tchouameni, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Carreras and Espe are all committed for the next seven years. Vinicius Junior and Marc Cucurella are signed to 2032. Ousmane Diomande, who arrived more recently, is under contract until the summer of 2033.
Whether that is foresight or an expensive way to remove flexibility is the kind of question that only gets answered in three or four years. What it does do, immediately, is take Guler off the market at a moment when a 21-year-old with his output would have had plenty of callers.
Courtois next
According to Diario AS, the club's administrative work is not finished. Thibaut Courtois is the next name expected to sign, with the Belgian goalkeeper reportedly set to extend by at least another season. That would keep a settled figure behind a defence that is still getting younger.
Guler's renewal is the headline, though. Now in his fourth season at the club, he has gone from a prospect Madrid were waiting on to a player they build the week around.
Transfer context: Arda Guler, 21, Turkey international, Real Madrid. New contract agreed to 2031, extending a deal that ran to 2029; his first renewal since joining the club. Last season: 40 starts, six goals, 14 assists. Thibaut Courtois is reported to be next in line for an extension.
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