Şahin, now managing Başakşehir, made the disclosure on the YouTube channel KAFA Sports.
"I really wanted to bring Arda to Dortmund. I called him many times. Back then, he told me: 'Coach, I'm going to grab that jersey, no matter what.'"
Şahin recalled being moved by the conviction of his response. "I was incredibly impressed by that. I said, 'Good luck' — and that is exactly what happened."
Güler joined Real Madrid from Fenerbahçe in the summer of 2023 for €28 million and has since become a key player at the Bernabéu, contributing 20 goals and assists across 50 appearances this season. He has also scored twice in seven appearances for Turkey.
The 21-year-old suffered a hamstring injury this week that is expected to rule him out for the remainder of the domestic season and has raised doubts over his availability for Turkey at the World Cup this summer.