Ancelotti: ‘Extraordinary’ Güler to stay at Madrid next year

Carlo Ancelotti ruled out Arda Güler leaving Real Madrid on loan next season after the teenage playmaker scored the winning goal in the league leaders’ 1-0 win at Real Sociedad on Friday.

Güler, 19, struck in the 29th minute — guiding Dani Carvajal‘s cross through the legs of goalkeeper Álex Remiro — to give Madrid a win that extends their lead at the top of the LaLiga table to 14 points, with second-placed Barcelona not playing until Monday.

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Güler has had a difficult first season at Madrid, making just six league appearances — Friday’s game at the Reale Arena was his first start — leading to some suggestions that he could depart on loan this summer.

“Arda will be a very important player for us in the future,” Ancelotti said, when asked about the Turkey international. “There’s no doubt that he stays here next year.”

Güler joined Madrid from Fenerbahce last July, but suffered a meniscus injury in pre-season that required surgery, followed by two muscular problems as he raced to regain match fitness.

He has now scored twice in LaLiga — against La Real on Friday and against Celta Vigo in March — in 99 minutes on the pitch.

“[Güler] has extraordinary quality,” Ancelotti said. “He has talent, he has a gift. He’s worked hard … he’s training very well, but he’s very young.

“Little by little he’ll be more involved in this squad. He’s scored the most goals per minutes played, that’s the gift he has.”

Éder Militão made his first start for Madrid since August, after recovering from an ACL tear, putting the Brazil international in contention to start against Bayern Munich in the Champions League next week.

“I have to look at the starting line-up [against Bayern],” Ancelotti said. “Militão is back and started for the first time. He played very well in my opinion.

“I’ll evaluate it in the next few days … The important thing is that Militão has shown that he’s getting back to his best level.”