José Mourinho Outlines Central Real Madrid Role for Arda Güler Modeled on Mesut Özil

Real Madrid manager José Mourinho is planning to reconstruct his side’s attacking setup around Arda Güler, positioning the young Turkish midfielder in a primary creative role modeled after former club star Mesut Özil, according to a report by Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo.

Mourinho, who previously managed Özil during the German playmaker’s three-season tenure at Real Madrid, intends to make Güler the focal point of the team’s offensive transition. Güler arrived at the Spanish capital in the summer of 2023 from Fenerbahçe in a deal valued at €30 million. Since his transfer, the young midfielder has drawn stylistic comparisons to Özil due to his vision in congested spaces, progressive passing range, and timing on final-third deliveries.

A core element of the tactical blueprint reported by Mundo Deportivo involves cultivating a direct link between Güler and forward Kylian Mbappé. The proposed partnership aims to mirror the tactical synergy Mourinho successfully deployed between Özil and Cristiano Ronaldo during his initial reign at the Bernabéu, where Özil served as the primary creator for Ronaldo’s high-volume goalscoring.

Since joining the club, Güler has demonstrated versatility by operating across several positions, including the right wing, right interior midfield, and deeper build-up phases. However, establishing a fixed starting position has remained an ongoing process. Mourinho’s pre-season strategy focuses on refining Güler’s positional discipline to maximize his combination play and creative output in a central attacking role.

With Turkey’s early exit from international competition providing an uninterrupted summer schedule, Güler is set to participate in a complete pre-season training campaign. This full preparation window offers Mourinho an immediate opportunity to integrate Güler into the squad’s tactical framework ahead of the upcoming season.