Many saw the ghost of Mesut Ozil when Arda Guler joined Real Madrid in the summer of 2023 for 30 million euros. The German had charmed the Madrid faithful across just three seasons at the club.
Jose Mourinho, now back in the Real Madrid dugout, was the coach who squeezed the most out of Ozil during that spell. With Guler in the side, the Portuguese may just have a fresh version of the same player.
Shared Turkish roots have fuelled the comparisons. So has their style: both thrive on collective play and the killer final ball.
Guler has already shown he owns that decisive pass. It hasn't been enough to nail down a regular starting spot in the Merengue line-up.
According to Mundo Deportivo, there are plenty of reasons for that. One of them is surely his role in midfield, where he has shuffled between right winger, right midfielder, playmaker and even deep-lying playmaker.
On the similarities, Guler linked up constantly with Kylian Mbappe early last season, Real's top scorer, just as Ozil once did with Cristiano Ronaldo.
Mourinho now makes it a priority to exploit that connection and sharpen Guler's game. The youngster has grown over recent seasons, yet still has a long way to go before he becomes one of the Royal side's stars.
Turkey's early World Cup exit handed Guler a full pre-season. He now has the chance to force his way into Mourinho's plans, and the master coach has the chance to recreate the Ozil experience all over again.