by MaddFM
In 2005 I was “studying” in university. I say “studying” because the majority of that year was spent playing Football Manager 2005 chasing notable wonderkids such as Anthony Vanden Borre, Carlos Tevez, Fredy Guarin, Vagner Love and of course DC United and Football Manager’s most famous ever youth produce, that man Freddy Adu. Little did I know that in February of the same year, a new wonderkid had just entered the world in the Turkish Capital of Ankara, and that 17 years on he would already be banging it on the big stage for both club and country..that Wonderkid is of course Arda Güler, the youngest goalscorer in Turkish Super League history who is currently (but likely not for long) on the books at 19-time Turkish Champions Fenerbahçe Spor Kulübü.
Güler signs for Fenerbahçe
After impressing in the academy of Gençlerbirliği in the Turkish second tier having joined at age 9, Güler signed for Fenerbahçe when he turned 14 and has rapidly progressed through the ranks at Sarı Kanaryalar (the “Yellow Canaries”), starting immediately in the U16 team before progressing to the U19 side at age 16 and making his Senior debut just a few months later in their Europa League group game against Finnish side HJK. By the time he turned 17 he had become the Turkish Super League’s youngest ever goalscorer, and he finished the season with 3 goals and 4 assists which instantly caught the eye of a number of high-profile European clubs as well as earning Güler his first international cap for Turkey in a 2-1 friendly win over Czech Republic - becoming the youngest player to do so since Nuri Sahin in 2005.
International debut for Turkey at age 17
Casually dubbed “The Turkish Messi”, one would hope that fans and media won’t put too much pressure such a young player so early in his career - that said, early comparisons to a young Mesut Özil are understandable looking at Güler’s technical ability, confidence on the ball, creative vision and his versatility being equally able to play out wide or in the middle of the park (also helps that he is left-sided). Under Jorge Jesus this season he has often found himself deployed on the right side of their attacking midfield block wherein he has a natural tendency to cut inside on his favoured left foot - his rapid pace, dribbling ability, low centre of gravity and quick feet causing all kinds of problems for opposition full backs (clearly as you will see below).
Güler plays with a confidence and arrogance that most players usually don’t show until they are in their prime mid-late twenties - effectively taunting players with his skill and tricks while also showing no fear in dropping deep to get on the ball, taking players on, shielding the ball, riding tackles and thriving in congested areas & getting out of trouble. This season he is already close to matching his goal contributions from last season, impressive considering most of his appearances have been off the bench; it’s no surprise that his explosiveness and ability to change a game instantly have attracted interest from a host of top European clubs most notably Arsenal and Benfica, the latter of whom we know have a history of producing and developing outstanding talent and more often than not selling on for exorbitant transfer fees..
In Football Manager 2023, Güler starts out as a 17-year-old attacking midfielder already showing outstanding mental and technical skills hence the early valuation of €10m-€12m. While the SI researchers have him penned as an AMC which also probably explains his slightly lower Pace and Acceleration numbers - his form for Fenerbahçe will likely see him get an attributes boost in the next data update, which has often been the case for Wonderkids gone by once their real-life ability and potential becomes more evident and somewhat overtakes their in-game profile. That said - even in the original database, his Technique, Flair, First Touch, Passing, Vision, Crossing and Finishing are already outrageous for a 17-year-old, and if we combine these with 16 Determination and a Resolute personality - Güler is primed and ready to be trained and developed for greatness in almost any attacking role depending on your needs and tactical insight (just keep an eye on that Decision-making attribute which has also been highlighted as an IRL opportunity area). Personally the idea of a left-sided Centre Midfielder on Attack duty makes for very interesting tactical masterminding but of course, each to their own..👀.
In my own save by the year 2026, Güler has just sealed a January move to Liverpool at age 20 and it’s easy to see why - if the Fenerbahçe AI Manager can develop him this far in FM, just think what you might be able to do with him if you are lucky enough to secure his services..18 months left on his contract at the start of FM23 won’t do your chances any harm 😉
Speaking of technicals…well, it’s no wonder UEFA have him listed as one of their Players to Watch in 2023 and with good reason…
Sign..Him..Up..💫
Thanks for reading - let us know if you have any Wonderkids you would like us to cover or if you are interested in profiling any specific players for our Wonderkid Watch series, you can drop us a DM on Twitter or reach out to MaddFM for more info 👌.
