Jose Mourinho is increasingly convinced that Arda Guler can become an important part of Real Madrid’s midfield, with the manager planning to use the Turkish international in the double pivot more frequently, according to AS.
The change could remodel Real Madrid’s starting XI as Mourinho looks to improve the team’s control of possession and find a more balanced midfield combination.
Guler is now a genuine candidate to partner Aurelien Tchouameni in central midfield, particularly in matches where Real Madrid need to dictate play through possession rather than rely primarily on their attacking transitions.
Indeed, the role does not rule out future appearances on the right wing or as a No. 10, but it signals a significant development in Mourinho’s evolving plans.
Mourinho sees Guler as answer to Madrid’s midfield problem
The attraction of deploying Guler centrally lies in his ability to influence the game from the middle of the field.
Mourinho believes the 21-year-old can help Madrid control the tempo, organise their passing and find through balls that release the pace of the forwards.
Mourinho is convinced Arda Guler will be a natural fit in the double pivot role. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
That profile offers something different from a midfield built around physical presence and ball-winning.
Rather than simply protecting the defence, Guler can help connect possession with Madrid’s attacking threats, giving the team another route through opponents who defend compactly.
Notably, Mourinho’s original preference was to establish a more solid foundation with Tchouameni and Federico Valverde in midfield.
However, his assessment of Real Madrid’s performances against Villarreal after the international break appears to have encouraged him to explore alternatives.
Guler’s performance against Sevilla strengthened that case, as Mourinho was particularly impressed by the positional exchanges between the Turkish midfielder and Jude Bellingham, which created problems for the opposition by making Madrid’s attacking movements less predictable.
Valverde’s position could determine Madrid’s starting XI
The challenge now is fitting Guler into the team without losing the qualities Valverde and Tchouameni provide.
Guler was quite impressive against Sevilla. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
Keeping Guler in the double pivot leaves Mourinho with several possible configurations, each involving a different compromise.
One option is to retain Valverde at right-back, allowing the midfield pairing to remain intact, but that would mean benching Denzel Dumfries and Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Another is to move the Uruguayan to the right flank, a position Guler has occupied regularly, and use the Turkish international centrally.
The third possibility is more disruptive: dropping Tchouameni and pairing Guler with Valverde in midfield.
That would offer greater scope for movement and progression, although it would also mean removing a natural defensive midfielder from the starting line-up.
Mourinho’s experiment against Sevilla demonstrated the potential of the idea, but it also showed the risks involved in influencing the team around a new midfield structure.