Real Madrid starlet’s former coach delivers huge praise – ‘Can see him playing in Modric’s place’ | OneFootball

Arda Guler has become a hot topic at Real Madrid lately, on account of his excellent performance in the win over Pachuca.

Guler showcased why he is ready make a big breakthrough this season by producing a solid display in the final third against the Mexican outfit. He is now a favourite to start against RB Salzburg.

Guler’s recent performances have not gone unnoticed either, with his former coach at Fenerbahce, Vitor Pereira, heaping praise on the young Turk.

Vitor Pereira lauds Arda Guler

In a recent interview with MARCA, Pereira admitted Guler was a hungry young lad even he was playing for the Fenerbahce youth team.

“He was 16 the first time he came to train with us. He was a boy among men , but every time he received the ball, he made one last pass. And if he made a mistake, he would ask for the ball again and try again,” he said.

Pereira, who currently serves as the head coach of Wolverhampton, went on to liken Guler’s playing style to former Real Madrid superstar James Rodriguez.

“He reminded me of the James Rodríguez I coached when I was 19, when I first arrived at Porto. They’re two players with exceptional talent,” he said.

Talking about his committment, Pereira added, “He would finish training and we would have to stay with him for an extra hour because he wanted to work on his finishing, his forehand, his left foot.”

Pereira has been nominated for Premier League Manager of the Season for helping Wolves survive relegation thanks to an incredible turnaround.

Arda Guler is making quite the impression at Real Madrid (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images)

Talking about Guler again, the Portuguese mastermind backed the Turk to succeed under new coach Xabi Alonso.

“Obviously, joining Real Madrid, with so many top-level players, isn’t easy. But he’s going to carve out his place. I have no doubt that the future holds great things for him. He has the quality and mentality that make him a key player,” he said.

Pereira even admitted that Guler has the quality to become Real Madrid’s ideal long-term replacement for Luka Modric, who is set to leave the club after 13 years.

“I always saw him more as an ‘8’ or a ’10 ‘ because of his ability to unbalance between the lines, but he also has that ability to manage the ball, position himself and execute.

“He’s intelligent, he looks for solutions before receiving, he can play short and long, he has the final passes, he shoots from outside. He understands the game and is always looking to learn more. Of course I can see him playing in Modric’s place,” he said.

Finally, the Wolves coach admitted that Arda Guler has become a much more matured individual.

“I haven’t followed his physical development in detail, but he’s more mature. When he debuted, he wanted to show off his skills, and it’s normal that he sometimes took more risks than necessary.

“But now, with time, feeling more comfortable and also feeling that the rest of his teammates see him as an important player, he has everything it takes to become a top-level player,” he concluded.