Real Madrid fans are still waiting for their first glimpse of summer signing Arda Guler following his €20m (£17m) move from Fenerbahce due to a knee injury.
Guler was one of a few new recruits during the summer transfer window, with the club spending heavily on Jude Bellingham (€103m + €30.9m). Aside from Guler, a relative snip in today's market even with Madrid paying over his release clause, Joselu and Kepa Arrizabalaga on loan were the only other arrivals.
But Guler is yet to kick a ball in the famous kit. The 18-year-old midfielder was carrying an injury when he travelled with the rest of the squad on the summer tour of the United States and was an unused substitute for the friendly wins over both AC Milan and Manchester United.
Madrid took the decision to send Guler back to Spain for treatment on the meniscus problem in his right knee, with Carlo Ancelotti's team staying in America for further games against Barcelona and Juventus. The youngster then underwent knee surgery in mid-August.
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At the time, Ancelotti said the problem was "very small" and that the recovery time would be "short". Reports at the time suggested two months out would be about right.
But the suggestion is now that Guler is ahead of schedule and is targeting the end of September for his return to action and potential Madrid debut. Mundo Deportivo writes that, although caution is still being exercised by medical staff, the player himself has highlighted 27 September when the club is due to face Las Palmas at the Bernabeu in La Liga for a potential debut.
Madrid's midfield has gone through changes this season, with Ancelotti increasingly phasing veteran pair Luka Modric and Toni Kroos out of the starting XI in favour of Eduardo Camavinga, Aurelien Tchouameni and Federico Valverde as a central trio. Bellingham has been operating further forward in a role that has allowed him to carry the goalscoring burden in the absence of Vinicius Junior.
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This article was originally published on 90min as When Real Madrid hope Arda Guler will return from injury.
