"He wants instructions and advice" - Toni Kroos praises Real Madrid star's 'learning mentality' ahead of the Madrid derby
Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos has spoken up about how Turkish teenager Arda Guler has impressed him since arriving at the club this summer.
Kroos' comments on Guler were brought up ahead of the season's first Madrid derby against Atletico Madrid at Wanda Metropolitano on Sunday, September 24. The 33-year-old is in his ninth year at the Santiago Bernabeu and has seen a great deal of players. The German midfielder is a hard man to impress, but he has fallen in love with summer signing Guler.
Guler joined Real Madrid from Turkish giants Fenerbahçe this summer aged just 18. The youngster has earned praises for his mentality, which had been evident since his days at Fenerbahçe.
Toni Kroos spoke about the youngster's interest in learning and improving himself, and how he asks questions to aid his development. Speaking on his podcast ‘Einfach mal luppen' which he hosts with his brother Felix, Kroos said:
“He is one of those talents that asks ‘how do you do that?’, he wants instructions and advice. There are many 18-year-old players who think they are already so good that they don't need advice at all, but Arda has a learning mentality.”
Real Madrid will be without Guler for the derby as he is in the final stages of his recovery from an injury picked up in preseason.
Arda Guler is expected to have a big future at Real Madrid
Real Madrid went head-to-head with rivals Barcelona for the signing of teenage sensation Guler, who eventually picked Madrid as his destination. Los Blancos boss Carlo Ancelotti did not know much about the youngster before he arrived, but his performances in training left the manager awestruck.
Guler underwent knee surgery in August following his injury, and has returned to full training. The teenager will be in Los Blancos' squad for their midweek league match against Las Palmas, according to Ancelotti.
Toni Kroos is aware of the immense talent Guler possesses and will likely mentor him at Real Madrid. The youngster idolizes Kroos' former teammate Mesut Ozil, who played at Fenerbahçe as he came through.
Los Blancos possess a very strong young core, with the likes of Jude Bellingham, Eduardo Camavinga, Aurelien Tchouameni, and Rodrygo among this list. They also have Brazilian phenom Endrick set to arrive at the club in two years and are looking to sign more youngsters. Their squad has the potential to be one of the best in the world in a few years.