I've been dubbed the 'Turkish Messi' - now Aston Villa could sign me for £67m

Aston Villa are already preparing themselves for what could be an action-packed summer transfer window.

Unai Emery’s side are on a march to try and secure Champions League qualification, while there’s also an FA Cup semi-final and a Champions League quarter-final to look forward to in the next few weeks.

These stunning achievements have boosted Villa’s allure to some of Europe’s biggest stars. Reports are already circulating about some potential signings, as a result, with many holding the potential to bolster Villa’s chances of continuing their upward trajectory.

Aston Villa plotting stunning Real Madrid swoop

One of the players most recently linked is Real Madrid hot prospect Arda Guler. The 20-year-old is yet to set the world alight at the Santiago Bernabeu following his £17 million transfer from Fenerbahce in 2023, though he has shown signs of huge promise.

TEAMtalk reports Villa hold a long-standing interest in Guler and are seriously considering making an official approach in the summer. That said, it’s also mentioned there are no guarantees Madrid will be open to a sale.

Villa’s president of football operations, Monchi, recently confirmed Guler is of interest. "He is a player who met a series of requirements that could be attractive to Aston Villa because we are looking for that position,” Monchi told Radio MARCA.

"I know him well because he's a player that every sporting director has followed in his career in Turkey. It's not the same position as Marco Asensio, but we're more or less looking for that profile between the lines who can play as a 10 and who can even play on the outside while coming in.”

Arda Guler eyeing European glory

Upon signing for Madrid, Guler revealed a dream to become a legendary figure for the club. Game time hasn’t been consistent so far, however, as he has played just 1,607 minutes in nearly two seasons. Guler has impressed whenever he’s had the opportunity, at least, with nine goals and seven assists equating to one direct goal involvement every 100 minutes.

“I am an attacking player who can score goals, set them up, carry the ball and dribble well,” Guler said during his first interview with Madrid.

“Some of my idols are Zidane, Özil and Guti. I even got the chance to play with Özil. This club has won so many trophies throughout history.

“I have seen all the European Cups and I can say it's the most incredible feeling. I have come to Real Madrid, a huge club, to work hard and evolve my game and my career.”

Guler nicknamed ‘Turkish Messi’

Recognised as one of Europe’s most promising wonderkids since he was just 16 years of age, Guler has been steadily edging closer to his potential. From very early on, the nimble forward was dubbed the ‘Turkish Messi’ due to his capability to dribble out of tight spaces and his tendency to cut in from the right wing onto his favoured left foot.

Guler stole headlines across the continent during the recent UEFA EURO 2024 tournament in Germany as he scored an absolute worldie against Georgia, cutting in on his left and striking fiercely into the top left-hand corner from no fewer than 25 yards.

Guy Mowbray, a BBC commentator, was effusive after that Guler goal, exclaiming: "The Turkish Messi has delivered—what a tournament this is becoming for the youngsters.”

Mowbray wasn’t the only one impressed as Koray Palaz, a coach for Turkish team Kusadasispor and occasionally a pundit in Germany, told The Athletic: “It’s still very early to suggest he will be a Messi or Ronaldo — Arda is still a boy — but he is a superstar in the making.

“There’s something special about the way Arda touches the ball, sees the game, sees the whole picture. He’s different from others. Whenever he gets the ball, you just know he will do something.”

Current Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Vitor Pereira, meanwhile, was lucky enough to see Guler’s talents first-hand during their time together at Fenerbahce in 2021. “In the first session, he played like he would in the street with his friends,” Pereira reflected.

“The character, the self-confidence, was very impressive. From day one, the experienced players would pass him the ball, respect him when he took shots, crosses. If he missed, he would try again, again, again. We imagined a great future for him.”