Real Madrid have agreed a contract extension with midfielder Arda Güler until June 2032, Bongdaplus reported, citing transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano. The news comes days before El Clásico against Barcelona in round 10 of La Liga on Sunday, 25 October 2026, Spanish time. In the same week coach José Mourinho defended Vinícius Júnior after the Brazilian was whistled by Real's own supporters.
Güler's new deal: signed, not yet announced
According to Bongdaplus, Romano said the two sides reached a final agreement in September and the paperwork has been signed, with the club only waiting to make it official. Bongdaplus also cited the newspaper Sport, which framed the deal as proof that Real see the 21-year-old Turkish midfielder as a long-term pillar.
Güler's path in Madrid was not smooth. In his first season, under Carlo Ancelotti, injuries limited him to 440 minutes across 12 games. Last season he made 51 appearances, scored 6 goals, provided 14 assists and was named the Champions League's best young player.
Güler in Mourinho's new set-up
SGGP described how Mourinho reshaped the side in wins over Sevilla and RB Leipzig: Federico Valverde moved to right-back, Güler dropped deeper and Bernardo Silva started in midfield to control the tempo. Mourinho said that having players such as Bernardo Silva or Arda in midfield gives the team more ways to build, better control and faster transitions.
The numbers SGGP published:
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Possession v Sevilla | 65.1% |
| Possession v Leipzig | 64.4% |
| Average before those two games | 49.5% |
| Passes v Leipzig (completed) | 742 (679) |
| Completed passes in the opposition half | 352 |
| Valverde to Güler / Güler to Valverde | 24 / 18 |
Both possession figures were Real's highest in their first 12 games of the season. SGGP said Güler and Kylian Mbappé both scored in the 4-1 win over Leipzig, Real's third straight Champions League victory this season. Ahead of the Clásico, Güler said Real would give everything to win because, as Real Madrid, they have to win every game, while Mbappé said the fixture is completely different from other league games, SGGP reported.
Vinícius whistled, Mourinho responds
Bongda24h reported that Vinícius has scored only 1 goal this season, was taken off early in Real's last two Champions League games and was whistled by home fans when substituted against Leipzig. Mourinho said that being booed away from home tends to motivate a player, but being whistled at home hurts him. He also praised Vinícius for following tactical instructions and working hard in defence. The forward will not feature in El Clásico, as he is serving a four-match La Liga suspension.
What comes next: El Clásico
Real go into the game after beating Sevilla 4-1 in La Liga and Leipzig 4-1 in the Champions League. According to SGGP, they have 21 points from 9 rounds, with 7 wins and defeats only to Real Betis (1-0) and Atlético Madrid (2-1), while Hansi Flick's Barcelona have won all 9 and lead them by 6 points. The table Bongda24h published before round 10:
| Pos | Team | Played | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Barcelona | 9 | +30 | 27 |
| 2 | Atlético Madrid | 9 | +11 | 22 |
| 3 | Real Madrid | 9 | +14 | 21 |
Barcelona come into the game after a Champions League defeat by PSG. Read more on the hosts: Barcelona before El Clásico.