Real Madrid have been dealt yet another injury blow at the start of the new season, as 18-year-old Arda Guler has undergone an operation on a knee problem.
Los Blancos fended off competition from several other European sides to sign the 2005-born starlet from Fenerbahce this summer, as he agreed a six-year deal with Carlo Ancelotti's side.
Real paid €20m (£17.2m) to prise Guler away from his homeland, but the teenager did not play a single minute for Los Blancos in pre-season due to a troublesome knee issue.
Guler was on the bench for Real's USA tour wins over AC Milan and Manchester United towards the end of July, but he was an unused substitute on both occasions and did not make the squad for their La Liga opener with Athletic Bilbao on Saturday.
When asked about the prospect of Guler going under the knife in last week's press conference, Ancelotti cut an unconcerned figure, responding: "If he has surgery, the recovery time is very short. Arda's problem is very small and I think he can recover very soon. I can't go into details for privacy."
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However, Real have now confirmed that the talented midfielder has been forced to undergo an operation, and he will begin his recovery process in "the next few days".
The capital giants did not provide a timeline on how long Guler might be sidelined for, but it is understood that the Turkey international will spend the next six weeks on the treatment table.
Should Guler sit out the remainder of August and most of September, he would likely miss potentially crucial meetings with Real Sociedad and Atletico Madrid next month, but the youngster will not spend a long time recovering.
The same cannot be said for defensive duo Thibaut Courtois and Eder Militao, though, as both men are at risk of sitting out most if not the entirety of the 2023-24 season due to anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) ruptures.
Courtois sustained his devastating injury in a training session last week, initially leaving Ancelotti with Andriy Lunin as his only fit senior goalkeeper, and the Ukrainian kept a clean sheet on the opening weekend against Athletic.
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Despite Ancelotti's praise for Lunin, Real quickly began a search to find a new goalkeeper, and Los Blancos announced a loan deal for Chelsea's Kepa Arrizabalaga on Monday.
Meanwhile, Brazilian centre-back Militao was taken off early into the second half of Saturday's win over Athletic, and Real confirmed the worst on Sunday, leaving Ancelotti with three fit central defenders in Antonio Rudiger, David Alaba and Nacho Fernandez.
While Real have added Kepa to their goalkeeping ranks, Ancelotti has supposedly decided against signing a new centre-back to cover for Militao and could instead turn to academy prospects from the club's Castilla team.
Alongside their ACL victims, Real are also coping without left-back Ferland Mendy, who could be missing for another few weeks with a muscle problem, while midfielder Dani Ceballos is in the same boat with a tendon issue.
Ancelotti's side are next in action away to Almeria on Saturday evening.
Ben Knapton
