Playmaker Arsenal wanted BEFORE Eberechi Eze is now worth €150m as Andrea Berta blunder exposed

While Arsenal fans are happy with the signing of Eberechi Eze from Crystal Palace in the summer transfer window, a report in Spain has exposed the transfer mistake that Gunners manager Mikel Arteta and sporting director Andrea Berta made over a Real Madrid playmaker, who is going from strength to strength under Los Blancos boss Xabi Alonso.

One of the much-heralded signings that Arsenal made in the summer was that of Eze. One of the best attacking players in the Premier League, Eze, who can also operate as a left-winger, cost the Gunners a total of £68million (€78.5m, $93m) (including add-ons) when they signed him from Crystal Palace.

Arsenal beat bitter north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur to the signature of Eze, who has given one assist in one start and one substitute appearance for the Gunners already this season.

However, it could have been Arda Guler playing for Arsenal now instead of Eze.

It was reported in the Spanish media in late July that Real Madrid had offered Guler to Arsenal.

Los Blancos’ plan was to sign William Saliba from Arsenal in a swap deal that would have seen Guler stay on loan at the Emirates Stadium for the 2025/26 campaign.

Real Madrid were also ready to send defender Raul Asensio to Arsenal on a permanent deal as part of the transaction.

Fabrizio Romano revealed this month that Arsenal had been monitoring Guler last season and were planning to bid for the Turkey international attacking midfielder had Carlo Ancelotti stayed.

The reliable transfer guru reported that ‘Arsenal considered the possibility around October/November before Andrea Berta was appointed as the new director’.

However, Guler is still at Arsenal, with Defensa Central now claiming clubs in the Premier League are willing to pay €150m (£130m, £177m) for the Turkish star in the summer of 2026.

However, Madrid do not want to sell Guler, who himself is happy at the Santiago Bernabeu and wants to keep on working with manager Alonso.

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Arda Guler a massive mistake from Arsenal

Berta was appointed the Arsenal’s sporting director only in March 2025, while Arsenal had identified Guler as a target back in October/November 2024.

However, there was still enough time for Berta and Arteta to put together a bid for Guler for the summer of 2025.

One could argue that Arsenal manager Arteta should have tried to sign Guler in January 2025, at least on a loan deal.

Alonso was appointed the Real Madrid manager at the end of last season in May and immediately made Guler an integral part of his team for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.

The 20-year-old scored one goal and gave two assists in five starts and one substitute appearance for Madrid in the competition.

There was still time for Arsenal to bid for Guler and at least provide Madrid with a conundrum of whether to sell the youngster for a hefty fee or take the risk of him blooming into a top star.

Martin Odegaard has been a huge success at Arsenal since leaving Madrid for the Gunners initially on a loan deal.

Odegaard was 22 at the time. The Norway international is now 26 and is one of the best attacking midfielders in Europe.

Guler is only 20, and he could have followed a similar trajectory to that of Odegaard.

Moreover, Guler would have also had better resale value for Arsenal, as Eze is 27 now.

Guler has been one of Madrid’s best players in LaLiga so far this season and has formed a lethal combination with Kylian Mbappe.

The playmaker has scored two goals and given one assist in four LaLiga games, with Alonso’s side winning all of them.

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