Title: Deco Remains Silent on Barcelona’s Failed Arda Guler Transfer to Rival Real Madrid
Barcelona’s new sporting director, Deco, has opted to keep quiet when pressed by journalists about the unsuccessful attempt to sign Turkish prodigy Arda Guler. The 18-year-old rising star recently joined fierce rivals Real Madrid in a €20m deal, leaving Barcelona empty-handed.
Guler burst onto the scene at the age of 16, impressively making his mark in Fenerbahce’s first team. His exceptional performances in the 2022/23 season attracted the attention of Spain’s top clubs, who engaged in a fierce battle for his signature.
According to previous reports, Barcelona and Real Madrid were both willing to meet Guler’s €17.5m release clause, offering €20m instead. However, it was the role played by Real Madrid’s chief scout, Juni Calafat, that ultimately swayed the young talent towards the Bernabeu.
Deco, who is yet to be officially introduced in his new Barcelona role, was recently spotted leaving a restaurant with director of football Mateu Alemany. When questioned by reporters regarding Guler’s failure to join Barcelona, Deco had a succinct response, stating, I don’t know.
Sources suggest that Deco may have felt manipulated during the negotiations, as he traveled to Turkey believing that a deal was close to completion. Concerned that the transfer could potentially collapse, Deco may have been used as a bargaining tool by Guler’s camp to extract more lucrative terms from Real Madrid.
Despite the reported €20m transfer fee, journalist Toni Juanmarti asserts that Real Madrid’s total expenditure on the youngster could reach €50m when taking into account add-ons, commission, bonuses, and salary. In fact, it is alleged that both Guler and his family profited more from the transfer than Fenerbahce did, with the player receiving an €8m signing bonus and his father receiving a €15m commission.
The failed pursuit of Guler has undoubtedly left a bitter taste in Barcelona’s mouth. As Deco remains coy about the situation, the club is left reflecting on what could have been and assessing potential alternatives to bolster their squad.
Overall, Barcelona’s inability to secure Arda Guler’s signature has handed a significant advantage to their arch-rivals, Real Madrid. Only time will tell whether this missed opportunity comes back to haunt Barcelona in their pursuit of success in the upcoming season.
