Arda Guler does not forget his roots. This was illustrated when he signed for Real Madrid in 2023. The wunderkind's contract with Turkish giants Fenerbahce had a €17.5 million release clause. But the playmaker, 18 at the time, requested Real to offer more to help out Fener.
He had spent only four years—two of that in the academy—at the Istanbul club since moving from Ankara five days before turning 14. However, he had formed a strong bond with the fans—in his second season in senior football, he had dazzled them in the club’s iconic No. 10 jersey (formerly worn by the likes of Mesut Ozil, Alex and Jay-Jay Okocha).
Real agreed to pay €20 million upfront, plus up to €10 million in potential add-ons—it was still a bargain and well worth it if it made the ‘Turkish Messi’ happy.
Now, almost three years on, he is an undisputed starter at the world’s biggest football club. In fact, none of his teammates have made more appearances than his 35 so far this season—Vinicius Jr is second with 33. Guler also leads in the tally of assists for the club this season with 12, followed by Vini Jr’s 11. Capable of playing in the No. 10 role as well as on the right and even in central midfield, his attacking contribution has also been complemented by a developing defensive grit.
So, the soon-to-be 21-year-old has well and truly arrived. If his performances on the pitch were not enough to prove that, he was recently forced to put out a fire off field. On February 12, he issued a statement categorically denying an explosive allegation by former mentor Serhat Pekmezci—that Guler was being bullied by senior players at Real. He distanced himself from the noise even as he acknowledged Pekmezci’s part in his journey. It was a defining moment, showing that the ‘young Turk’ is more than equipped to deal with the varied pressures of the elite sphere he now occupies.
Despite his age, Guler is no longer an exciting prospect needing shielding; he is the torch-bearer of a generation of Middle Eastern talent set to take the football world by storm. Here is a look at some of his noteworthy peers:
Kenan Yildiz, Turkey
While Guler is the most highly regarded among the Middle East’s young players, his compatriot, the Germany-born Yildiz, is not far behind. Primarily a left-winger, the 20-year-old is equally comfortable as a second striker and can also step in as a centre-forward or No. 10 if required. With nine goals and eight assists from 32 games for Juventus this season, he has established himself as a significant attacking threat. Apart from the two superstars in Guler and Yildiz, Turkey also has the likes of Semih Kilicsoy, 20, who plays for Besiktas on loan from Cagliari, and Eintracht Frankfurt’s Can Uzun, 20.
Ismael Saibari, Morocco
Last season, Chemsdine Talbi was the most exciting young player eligible to play for Morocco. The Belgium-born winger chose to represent Morocco last March. But, the 20-year-old’s rise has slowed down a bit since then as he is still adjusting to life at his new club—Premier League team Sunderland. Meanwhile, Saibari has stepped up in a big way. At 25, he is, admittedly, too old to be considered a young player. But, he was largely unheralded about three years ago and the development of his game since 2023 has been so drastic that it would be remiss not to mention him.
Primarily an attacking midfielder, he has also turned out at centre-forward and the left flank for his club, PSV Eindhoven, this season, contributing 14 goals and five assists from 28 games so far. Now entering his prime years, Saibari can be a bridge between Morocco’s 2022 legends and an incredible new wave of talent that is unrivalled in the region. Though too many to enumerate, the most noteworthy at the moment are Bayer Leverkusen’s Eliesse Ben Seghir, 20, VfB Stuttgart’s Leicester City loanee Bilal El Khannouss, 21, and 17-year-old sensation Abdellah Ouazane, who chose Morocco over the Netherlands and is turning heads at Jong Ajax.
Ibrahim Maza, Algeria
Bayer Leverkusen’s Ibrahim Maza, 20, has seen his stock rise significantly since committing his international future to Algeria. When he made his national team debut, in 2024, he was playing in 2. Bundesliga for Hertha Berlin. His performance in the second division prompted Leverkusen to sign him for €12 million. He has settled well, scoring four and assisting four in 25 appearances so far this season. That means he is now Algeria’s most highly rated young player. Other rising stars in The Desert Warriors ranks include Stuttgart’s Badredine Bouanani, 20, and Eintracht’s Fares Chaibi, 23.
Oscar Gloukh, Israel
Like Turkey, Israel is a part of the European football confederation. But, unlike the Crescent Stars, they are often forgotten in the discourse on football in the Middle East. Though Turkey has only two World Cup appearances, they had an incredible third-placed finish in 2002. They have also become regulars at the Euros in recent years. But, Israel has found it tougher to navigate the extremely competitive football ecosystem in Europe. They have not qualified for the World Cup since 1970 and have never played in the Euros.
But, every now and then, Israel produces a quality footballer—former Liverpool star Yossi Benayoun is the best example. Gloukh may only be 21, but he has shown that he has the potential to transcend Benayoun’s feats. But, the creative midfielder, who was a regular for the last two seasons at Red Bull Salzburg, made a surprising move in the summer—choosing a struggling Ajax, despite interest from Atletico Madrid, Porto, RB Leipzig, Roma and Stuttgart. He has started well, with eight goals and six assists in 31 games. But, unless Ajax improve in the next couple of seasons, it might be better for him to seek a move.
In the national team, Gloukh is joined by Union Saint-Gilloise’s Anan Khalaili, 21, and 22-year-old defender Stav Lemkin of FC Twente.
Musab Al-Juwayr, Saudi Arabia
The 22-year-old has emerged as the most influential local midfielder in the Saudi Pro League. Already a regular in the national team, he joined Al-Qadsiah from Al-Hilal in the summer, after a stellar season on loan at Al-Shabab that won him the league’s best young player award for 2024-25. This season, at the time of writing, he is joint third in the league for assists (eight) and has also contributed three goals in 23 games in all competitions. His ability to dictate tempo in the middle of the park will be key for the national team in the years to come. Other young players showing promise include Al-Ahli’s Saleh Abu Al-Shamat, 23, and 18-year-old striker Talal Haji, who plays for Al-Riyadh on loan from Al-Ittihad.