Arsenal are among several Premier League clubs reportedly keeping a watchful eye on Arda Guler, the talented Turkish midfielder currently plying his trade at Real Madrid. According to TEAMtalk, “Arsenal would reportedly have to pay between £30-40million for Real Madrid star Arda Guler, who it’s believed ‘may need to leave’ the Bernabeu to ‘reach his full potential’.”

Despite glimpses of brilliance — three goals and seven assists this season — Guler’s minutes have been limited at the Bernabeu. He has not featured in any of Real’s last five Champions League games, including their 3-0 humbling at the hands of Arsenal in the quarter-final first leg. As TEAMtalk notes, “Some of Real’s stars were criticised for being anonymous in the game, while some such as Guler were left on the bench.”

The sense in Madrid, reportedly, is that a move away may be necessary for Guler to flourish. And for Arsenal, who turned Martin Ødegaard from a fringe Madrid player into a captain and creative talisman, the template is familiar.

Guler’s technique, positional awareness, and creative instinct would fit neatly into Mikel Arteta’s system. Yet his potential arrival may cause congestion in a part of the pitch Arsenal are already nurturing talent. TEAMtalk points out: “The move would not make much sense for Arsenal, with young talent Ethan Nwaneri thriving in similar areas to the Madrid man.”

Indeed, Nwaneri has emerged as one of Arsenal’s brightest prospects, combining maturity with flair. Arteta’s careful integration of academy products has been central to his rebuild — and with Nwaneri now pushing into first-team contention, bringing in Guler could disrupt that momentum.

Should Arsenal decide against a formal approach, there will be no shortage of suitors elsewhere in England. TEAMtalk highlights: “If Arsenal were to go after Guler, they’d likely not be the only Premier League side in the mix. Reports have linked him with Liverpool and Tottenham, while TEAMtalk are aware that Aston Villa are fans of the Turkish star.”

Villa’s interest is long-standing, bolstered by Monchi, their president and transfer architect. Liverpool and Tottenham, meanwhile, are also said to admire Guler — a reminder that Premier League scouting networks are aligned in their appreciation of the midfielder’s potential, even if opportunities in Spain remain scarce.