Arsenal Step Up €150 Million Pursuit of Real Madrid Star

Arsenal have reignited their interest in Real Madrid’s Arda Güler, with reports suggesting the Premier League side may need to shatter their transfer record to land the Turkish star.

Talks have already taken place, but Los Blancos remain firm in their stance.

Madrid Unwilling to Sell Rising Star

Güler, who featured in Xabi Alonso’s starting XI during Real’s Champions League clash with Marseille, has become one of the standout young players in Spain. The 20-year-old playmaker started ahead of Jude Bellingham, underlining his growing importance to Alonso’s system. According to Spanish outlet Defensa Central, intermediaries have suggested Premier League clubs could be forced to pay up to €150 million if they want to tempt Madrid into talks.

Florentino Pérez is reportedly determined to resist any approach, even at such figures, with Alonso himself reluctant to lose a player he sees as central to Madrid’s new era. Güler, previously ranked second in FourFourTwo’s list of the most exciting teenagers in world football, has seamlessly adapted to life at the Bernabéu after joining from Fenerbahçe in 2023.

Arsenal Long-Term Admirers

Arsenal’s pursuit of the midfielder is not new. Mikel Arteta’s side first explored a deal while Güler was still in Turkey and even floated a loan move during the winter of 2024. The Gunners’ admiration has not faded, and sporting director Andrea Berta is said to have revisited discussions in recent weeks. However, with Real refusing to entertain offers, Arsenal face an uphill task.

The north London club have already spent heavily this summer, bringing in the likes of Viktor Gyökeres, Martin Zubimendi and Eberechi Eze, while also finalising an option to sign Bayer Leverkusen’s Piero Hincapié next year. Breaking the club’s transfer record for another creative midfielder may prove difficult, particularly as Güler would overlap stylistically with Martin Ødegaard, with Ethan Nwaneri already seen as his natural deputy at the Emirates.

Premier League Saga Brewing?

With Güler’s value on Transfermarkt currently standing at €45 million, the €150 million fee being quoted would represent a remarkable escalation. Yet with English clubs increasingly willing to spend big to secure the game’s brightest talents, Real Madrid are bracing themselves for further interest. For now, Alonso appears confident of keeping hold of his rising star, while Arsenal must weigh whether to press ahead in what could become another high-profile Premier League transfer saga.

Site Opinion

Arsenal’s ambition under Arteta is clear, but a move for Güler feels unlikely to materialise this season. Madrid have no incentive to sell a player blossoming into a first-team regular, and the price tag being floated is designed to deter even the wealthiest suitors.

For the Gunners, midfield depth is already strong, and with priorities elsewhere in the squad, pursuing Güler may be more about long-term positioning than immediate intent.