Barcelona, AC Milan showing strong interest in €17.5 million-rated Turkish prodigy

The race to sign Arda Guler is hotting up. The Turkish sensation has become a wanted prospect in the market, following a blistering start to his professional career with Fenerbahce.

Guler has indeed been the rising star of Turkish football this past season, racking up six goals and seven assists in 35 competitive outings for Fenerbahce. An attacking midfielder by trade, the youngster has impressed onlookers with his creativity and productivity in the final third.

Guler’s performances have not gone unnoticed, with a host of top European clubs interested in his services. According to L’Equipe, Barcelona are one such club looking to rope in Guler this summer, but the Catalans are set to face stiff competition from AC Milan.

The French publication even touts Milan are the frontrunner in the race to sign Guler. It appears the Rossoneri have identified the youngster as the ideal replacement for Brahim Diaz next season.

The former Manchester City starlet is set to return to Real Madrid after spending a three-year loan spell at San Siro. His exit will leave a hole in Milan’s creative unit and that is where Guler comes into the fray.

Barcelona, meanwhile, are also looking to reinforce their ranks in the creative unit. Coach Xavi Hernandez is particularly looking for a new interior midfielder who can accompany Pedri in the middle of the park.

Although Barcelona are set to sign Ilkay Gundogan, Guler might not be a bad option with an eye on the future. However, with AC Milan leading the chase, time is running out for Barça as they look to get hold of the Turkish sensation, who has a €17.5 million release clause..

It will be particularly tricky for the Blaugrana to come up with an offer for Guler, considering the fact that the club must raise money in the market before they can register new players.