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Arda Guler is reportedly in line to make his Real Madrid debut in the league game against Sevilla on 21 October after a lengthy injury lay-off.
Los Blancos agreed to pay a fee of €30 million to sign Guler from Fenerbahce, beating Barcelona in a highly-publicized race for the player. But a knee injury in pre-season in the United States derailed the youngster's plans to make a mark on the senior team.
Guler was close to returning to action before the October international break but suffered a thigh injury after returning to training last month. The club's statement read at the time (h/t Reuters):
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"After the tests carried out on our player Arda Guler, he has been diagnosed with an injury to the left rectus femoris muscle."
It now seems that the 18-year-old is close to making his debut for Los Merengues, as per a report from Marca (h/t @theMadridZone). The player will supposedly feature against Los Nervionenses on Saturday at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium if there are no setbacks.
Guler is similar in profile to Marco Asensio, who left the club on a free transfer to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) this summer. He can play on the flanks as well as in the No. 10 role and is known for his deft touch and creative playmaking abilities.
Real Madrid will look to retain La Liga lead as they prepare for Sevilla encounter
Real Madrid are currently top of the table in La Liga with 24 points from nine matches so far.
Barcelona dropping four points in their past three league games has allowed Carlo Ancelotti's men to climb to the top of the standings. The Catalan giants sit third, three points behind the Madrid-based giants and one behind Girona.
Sevilla, by their standards, have had a markedly poor start to the season as they sit in 14th position with just eight points from eight matches so far. Los Blancos are currently on a nine-game unbeaten run against the Seville-based outfit, winning eight times.
Ancelotti will know he has to manage his players judiciously after the October international break. Following the game against Sevilla, Real Madrid will face Braga in the UEFA Champions League in Portugal on 24 October before facing Barcelona in the league on 28 October.
