Arda Guler facing three to five months out, Real Madrid may not even register him for La Liga

Real Madrid could be without wonderkid Arda Guler for an extended period, with worrying reports indicating the player may need surgery.

Real hijacked Barcelona's move for the 18-year-old and secured his services by paying Fenerbahce €20 million for his services.

Guler, who requested that Real pay a little over his €17.5 million fee, signed a six-year contract and his transfer announcement amassing over 925,000 likes on Twitter.

The 'Turkish Messi' had an emotional Los Blancos unveiling and expressed his desire to become a "legend" at the Santiago Bernabeu.

His early signs were promising as the teenager shone in first-team training and scored a gorgeous goal with his trusty left foot.

But Guler has been struggling with injury and had to leave the club's United States pre-season to head back to the Valdebebas training base.

The problem is said be with his right knee and is a repeat of a previous issue. At first it was only considered to be minor but now a report from Mundo Deportivo claims Guler may require surgery on his meniscus if the treatment he is currently trialling does not bear fruit.

That would rule him out for a maximum of five months with recovery time taken into account. He would most likely not return before the January window reopens, meaning he could be omitted from the La Liga squad as a result.

Real released a statement on his injury, writing: "Following tests carried out on our new signing Arda Güler, he has been diagnosed with an injury to the internal meniscus of his right knee.

"The player will be transferred to Madrid in the next few hours to continue with a specific course of treatment."

It's a wretched bit of luck for the youngster after his big move, particularly with so much hype surrounding him.