José Mourinho Maps Arda Güler’s Future Like Modric and Bernardo Silva

José Mourinho already sees Arda Güler’s future mapped out – and it looks a lot like two modern greats.

"I love Arda. I think something similar will happen to Arda to what happened to Luka (Modric) and Bernardo (Silva): you start at the front and finish at the back," the Portuguese coach said, drawing a direct line between the young Turk and two of the most complete midfielders of the last decade.

Mourinho didn’t stop there. He laid out the evolution he expects in blunt, positional terms.

"You start as a number 10, as an attacking player, and end up as a number 8, then as a number 6. I believe Arda will go down that path given his development and his understanding of the game."

Güler’s role in a changing Real Madrid midfield

After a season that fell short of Real Madrid’s title ambitions, Mourinho has walked into a dressing room that needs more than just a tactical tweak. He has to rebuild a structure, reset standards and, crucially, redefine roles for players who have drifted on the fringes.

One of those is Arda Güler.

Signed from Fenerbahce in 2023 for a hefty 28 million euros, Güler arrived as one of Europe’s brightest attacking prospects. But breaking into a star-studded squad has proved far from straightforward. He has flickered, not yet burned. Part of that comes down to uncertainty over where he truly fits.

Under Mourinho, that question is starting to get a sharper answer.

With Toni Kroos and Luka Modric gone, Madrid no longer possess a classic deep-lying metronome, the kind of midfielder who dictates rhythm from the base and sees the game two passes ahead. Their attempt to solve that with World Cup winner Rodri collapsed when the Spaniard chose Barcelona instead.

The options currently patrolling central midfield – Fede Valverde, Aurelien Tchouameni and others – bring power, running and defensive presence, but they are not natural tempo-setters. That leaves a vacancy, not just in the lineup but in the identity of Madrid’s midfield.

For Güler, that gap might be an invitation.

A move into a deeper role, as Mourinho hinted, could transform his minutes and his status. Instead of fighting for space as a pure creator high up the pitch, he could grow into the player who stitches everything together from behind the attack – the way Modric once did, the way Bernardo has done under Pep Guardiola.

Mourinho’s faith in Bernardo Silva

If Güler is the long-term project, Bernardo Silva is the ready-made reference point.

Mourinho also used his appearance on the programme to underline just how central he believes the new signing will be. Bernardo chose Real Madrid despite strong interest from Barcelona and Atletico Madrid, a transfer that has already added an extra layer of edge to Spain’s biggest rivalry.

"He is a Pep Guardiola player and gives you everything. I hope we will have few problems and a lot of stability. If we have few problems and a lot of stability, then for me today Bernardo is a player for central midfield. But Bernardo can play as a number 10, on the right wing, drift inside. Bernardo can play anywhere," Mourinho said.

That versatility is precisely what Mourinho wants to harness. Bernardo can run a game from the middle, pop up between the lines, or slide wide and drag defenders out of shape. He is, in many ways, the finished product of the evolution Mourinho is now forecasting for Güler.

The Portuguese coach also made it clear this was not a signing driven by rivalry or politics.

"He is a player I have loved forever. It has nothing to do with Barcelona wanting him, Atletico wanting him. Nothing to do with us stealing him because our neighbour would then be sad. It was my conviction that Bernardo matches Real Madrid's level."

So the picture is clear. Bernardo Silva arrives as the standard. Arda Güler is the apprentice with the tools to follow a similar path, just starting further back in his journey.

If Mourinho is right, Madrid’s next great midfield conductor might already be in the building – he just needs to step a few yards deeper to find his true stage.