Real Madrid stalwart Toni Kroos has praised teenage sensation Arda Guler, who has made quite the impression in his two weeks of preseason.
Suffering from what Real Madrid believe is a light muscle strain, injury has so far deprived Madridistas of their first look at Guler in their friendlies against Milan and Manchester United.
Kroos did speak about Guler’s talent on his podcast Einfach Mal Luppen, as carried by Marca.
“It must be said that he has great talent for his age. He has a very, very fine left foot. And he brings it out often. He has a great shot with his left foot, he is very good technically, especially in small spaces. I think he is a pretty good and intelligent signing, especially for the future.”
The German legend warned of the traps that people often fall into with young talents, but did go on to admit that Guler has some of the mentality that will help him push on.
“You have to be a little careful with so many expectations. They also existed with players who, after the fact, did not meet them. Especially in this club, there are other issues that determine whether someone is successful or not. It’s not just about having talent, technique or shooting.”
“He is one of those talents who asks: ‘How do you do that?’ He wants tips and advice, there are many 18 year old players who think they are already very good and don’t need advice at all. But he has that mentality to learn.”
Kroos continued on to warn of the many different factors that can negatively impact a career, regardless of the actual talent they possess.
“To what extent are they physically strong? How do I deal with setbacks? How prone to injury am I? How do I deal with the pressure of playing at a club like this? What personality do I have to prevail in a team like this? These are questions I can’t even begin to answer. That’s why I’m careful with so many superlatives, but I think he has a special talent as a footballer.”
Few teenagers have come into Real Madrid and made such an impression early on. Guler, along with Bellingham, has been the story of their preseason so far due that quality, but it was to a greater extent expected of a player that could cost up to €135m. In the Real Madrid dressing room at least, Guler will not be short of examples to follow.
