Arsenal could have Kylian Mbappe to thank as Mikel Arteta 'eyes up' audacious deal

Arsenal are eying up an audacious swoop for Real Madrid starlet Arda Guler, who is reportedly unsettled following Kylian Mbappe's arrival at the Bernabeu. The 19-year-old Turkish star, who joined Los Blancos from Fenerbahce in 2023, is one of the most highly-rated young wingers in Europe.

He scored six goals in 12 appearances last season, but has been struggling for minutes since Mbappe joined. The superstar Frenchman, who arrived from PSG in the summer, has had something of an underwhelming start at the club, despite scoring nine times in 18 games.

He's been primarily used as a No. 9, with Vinicius Jr taking his preferred role on the left-flank, and has looked a little out of sorts amid claims he's caused a number of tactical issues for the team. Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti is determined to make it work, however, and has started Mbappe, 25, in all but two of his side's matches in all competitions so far.

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As such, Guler and fellow attacking prodigy Endrick, 18, have had to settle for bit-part roles in the squad. According to the Independent, both are "upset" about the situation and could push for exits in January, be it on loan or permanently.

It's understood that Guler is particularly agitated and a number of top European clubs are considering making an approach for him, including Arsenal. Mikel Arteta isn't exactly short in attacking areas, especially after bringing Chelsea forward Raheem Sterling in on loan, as well as the emergence of Ethan Nwaneri.

But versatility and depth are vital in any title race, and Guler brings both to Arsenal, along with a boost to their goal-scoring firepower. Reports in Spain claimed earlier this week that the Gunners have already enquired about the Turkey international, though Ancelotti has since poured cold water on the idea of him leaving.

"[Endrick is] ready to play, doing very well, showing a lot of quality in training," the Italian told reporters. "I say the same about Guler. They are young people who are pushing. But the collective idea is to turn things around as quickly as possible.

"Can you do that with them? Yes. But the objective is to turn it around, that is the priority. Not to give minutes to one player or another."

Madrid signed Guler for £17million last year. He spent the first half of last season on the sidelines thanks to a string of injuries, but made a real splash when he returned in the new year, and ended the campaign with five goals in five La Liga matches.

The Spanish giants still view Guler, whose contract runs until 2029, as a key part of their long-term project and don't want to lose him. However, it's understood they're open to letting him leave on loan, and could even sanction a permanent sale providing a buy-back clause is including in the deal.

Last month, Juventus sensationally claimed that they'd signed Guler in a post on X, but it later transpired that the club's X account had been hacked. "Welcome to Juventus, Arda Guler," the false post read, accompanied by a photo of Guler walking on tarmac at an airport. "The rising star of football is now part of the Juventus family. Ready to make history on this new journey?"

Shortly after, the Serie A side released a hurried statement on social media, quashing the news. "Our Juventus English account has been compromised," they wrote. "Please ignore the false information being published on this account. We are working on the issue."