Most 18-year-olds have one decision to make about their football future. Armando Güner has had about four. Born in Germany to a Turkish father and a German-Argentine mother, he played for Germany at youth level, then said yes to Argentina, then left Borussia Mönchengladbach in February 2026 for Galatasaray, the club his family had followed for years. He still hasn't settled which senior national team he belongs to. That is a lot of crossroads for a teenager with only a handful of senior appearances.
It is also why he's worth paying attention to now, before the senior minutes either arrive or don't.
Güner on paper
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full name | Can Armando Güner |
| Born | 7 January 2008, Krefeld, Germany |
| Age | 18 |
| Citizenship (football records) | Argentine and German |
| Family heritage | Turkish, German and Argentine |
| Height | 1.78 m (about 5 ft 10 in) |
| Positions | Right winger, left winger, second striker |
| Stronger foot | Left |
| Club | Galatasaray, shirt number 27 |
| Contract until | 30 June 2030 |
| Estimated net worth | €700,000 to €900,000 (Icon Polls estimate) |
Krefeld to Mönchengladbach
Güner's route ran through the clubs of the Lower Rhine. He started at FC Traar, spent time at SC Bayer 05 Uerdingen and had a spell in Schalke's youth system before Gladbach brought him in during 2019. That last move is the one that shaped him.
Gladbach's academy gave him structure, and in the 2024/25 season he repaid it. His Under-17 campaign was full of goals and assists, the team won the German Under-17 title, and he was widely rated among the best players in the competition. From there he stepped up to the Under-19 squad, and the phone calls from clubs and federations started.
Why Istanbul, and why so cheap
Galatasaray completed a permanent transfer on 5 February 2026, shortly after his 18th birthday. The officially disclosed fee was €350,000 net. For a left-footed attacker with a national youth title and three possible international pathways, that is a small number. His contract position at Gladbach was the reason it stayed small.
There was a personal pull, too. Güner has said his father was a big Galatasaray supporter and that he grew up around the club. Plenty of transfers get wrapped in a childhood-dream story after the fact. This one seems to have genuinely started at the kitchen table.
He signed through to 30 June 2030 and took the number 27.
First months in red and yellow
The early weeks were about adjustment rather than headlines. He split his time between the senior environment and youth football, then made his official first-team debut in a cup match in March 2026. In July's preseason he curled in a free kick during a 5-1 friendly win over Ümraniyespor. It was a friendly, so nobody should overreact, but it was a useful reminder of the left foot that got him here.
Three countries, one decision still open
Güner played for Germany at Under-15, Under-16 and Under-17 level. In 2025 he accepted an Argentina Under-17 call-up, eligible through his mother's side of the family, including an Argentine maternal grandmother. He can also play for Türkiye through his father.
Youth caps don't usually lock a player into one senior team, so all three doors are, in principle, still ajar. His most recent youth connection is Argentina. A strong run at Galatasaray would almost certainly put Türkiye's interest back on the table, and it would be naive to think Germany has stopped watching.
What kind of player he is
At 1.78 metres he won't bully defenders. His game is built on movement, technique and choosing the right moment. He prefers the right flank, where he can cut inside onto his left foot and either shoot or slide a pass around the edge of the box. He can also play off the left or as a second striker behind a centre forward, which is handy for a young player trying to find minutes in a crowded squad.
What made his youth numbers stand out is that he both scored and created. That's rarer than it sounds. The honest question is how that translates against grown men who are faster and stronger than anyone he faced in the Under-17 league. Plenty of academy stars stall exactly there. His technique gives him a decent foundation, but nothing is guaranteed.
Counting the euros
Icon Polls estimates Güner's net worth at €700,000 to €900,000. That figure is our editorial estimate, drawn from his early professional contract, the Galatasaray move, youth earnings and bonuses. He hasn't published any financial records, and no official figure exists.
His estimated gross fixed salary for 2026/27 is around €150,000 a year, roughly €2,885 a week before tax and bonuses. That's a development contract, not a star's wage, and modest by the standards of Galatasaray's senior squad.
His market value was estimated at about €500,000 in May 2026, already above what Galatasaray paid. Treat that as a starting point. Teenage valuations swing on a single good season, and a long contract running to 2030 means the club holds the cards if that swing comes.
A football household
His father, Adalet Güner, is Turkish and has worked in football, including as a sporting director at a German club. That background goes some way to explaining how carefully the family appears to have handled his choices.
His mother is German-Argentine. Reliable public reporting doesn't consistently name her, so we won't. The simplest way to describe Güner's identity is this: a German-born footballer with Turkish heritage through his father and Argentine roots through his mother.
Where this goes
Güner is a prospect, not a finished product, and the coming season is the real test. He has the technical profile, a secure contract and a club that clearly means something to him. What he needs now is regular senior football. If you're weighing up which attackers deserve a place among the greats, have your say in our vote on the best football players of all time.
Still wondering?
Which national team can Armando Güner play for?
He has represented Germany and Argentina at youth level and is also eligible for Türkiye through his father. His senior international future is not yet settled.
How much did Galatasaray pay for him?
The club officially disclosed a net fee of €350,000 when he joined from Borussia Mönchengladbach on 5 February 2026.
Has he scored for Galatasaray?
He scored a free kick in a July 2026 friendly against Ümraniyespor, after making his official debut in a cup match that March.
