- Ozil tells Guler to snub Barca
- Barca close to signing youngster for €17.5m
- Real Madrid also interested
WHAT HAPPENED? Former Real Madrid and Arsenal star Ozil has reportedly warned Fenerbahce starlet Arda Guler against joining Barcelona this summer. According to Mundo Deportivo, the retired German star - who played with Guler at Fenerbahce last season - phoned the youngster to try and persuade him to stay put for one more year before assessing his options.
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Barca president Joan Laporta has confirmed that the club are edging closer to completing a deal for the 18-year-old midfielder, whose release clause stands at €17.5m. "He is a very young player, it is true that our scouts have been following him for a long time and many big clubs in Europe want him. We are talking to Fenerbahce,” Laporta told TV3.
AND WHAT'S MORE: Despite the relatively low release clause, reports in Spain claim that Barca are keen to pay the fee in installments. The Spanish champions plan to complete the transfer this summer before sending Guler back on loan to Fenerbahce for the 2023-24 season.
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WHAT NEXT FOR ARDA GULER? With plenty of top European sides waiting to pounce, including Real Madrid, it seems only a matter of time before Barca complete a deal for Guler. The teenager looks destined for greatness, but whether he lives up to the tag of 'the Turkish Messi' remains to be seen.