Real Madrid may not register summer signing in La Liga squad as he faces up to 5 months out after undergoing surgery - Reports

Real Madrid could reportedly choose not to register summer arrival Arda Guler in their 2023-24 La Liga squad after he suffered an injury to the meniscus in his right knee.

According to a report from Mundo Deportivo (via SportBIBLE), Guler's injury was initially viewed to be a minor issue. However, he could now require surgery if the treatment he's currently receiving at Los Blancos' Valdebebas training centre in Madrid does not resolve the problem.

Should he need to undergo surgery, Guler could miss up to five months, including recovery time. That would see him return to the fold only around January next year. This could potentially lead to Real Madrid opting not to register him in their La Liga squad.

The Turkish forward sustained the injury during a training session in the USA, where the Spanish giants have been preparing for the 2023-24 season. He was on the bench for their 3-2 win over AC Milan and 2-0 victory against Manchester United, but did not get onto the pitch.

Real Madrid signed Guler from Fenerbahce SK earlier this month for a little over €17.5 million. They notably beat arch-rivals Barcelona, who had agreed personal terms with the player, to sign him.

The 18-year-old enjoyed a commendable 2022-23 season with the Turkish club, recording six goals and seven assists in 35 appearances across competitions. Overall, he scored nine times and laid out 12 assists in 51 matches for Fenerbahce.

Prior to joining their first team, he registered 14 goals and 13 assists in just 30 games for their U19 outfit.

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Real Madrid have endured a mixed pre-season so far

Arda Guler's injury will certainly put a dampener on Real Madrid's preparations for the upcoming season. Additionally, left-back Ferland Mendy and midfielder Dani Ceballos are also reportedly dealing with injury issues.

Los Blancos' results on the pitch have been mixed as well, with the team winning twice and losing once in three friendly fixtures this month.

Carlo Ancelotti's men came from two goals down to beat AC Milan 3-2 in their first match, with Vinicius Junior scoring an 84th-minute winner. They then beat Manchester United 2-0 thanks to two spectacular strikes from new signings Jude Bellingham and Joselu.

However, their latest fixture ended in a disappointing 3-0 defeat against arch-rivals Barcelona. Real Madrid hit the woodwork five times and missed six big chances, including a penalty, while the Catalans scored with three of their seven shots on target.

They will hope to return to winning ways when they take on Juventus in their final pre-season friendly on Wednesday, August 2.