Juventus boss Luciano Spalletti has his say on the future of star man Kenan Yildiz amidst interest from Arsenal.
Juventus head coach Luciano Spalletti has insisted that Kenan Yildiz will remain at the Serie A club, refusing to be swayed by Arsenal’s reported interest in the Turkish forward ahead of their opening league game.
Arsenal have been searching for a top-level winger throughout the summer and turned their attention towards Yildiz after failing to land Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior, who recently committed his future to the Spanish giants.
The Gunners are exploring ways to sign the 21-year-old and could be prepared to make a significant financial commitment. But Spalletti remains untroubled.
“They can offer whatever they like, I want Yildiz here,” Spalletti told reporters via Sky Sports.
The Italian coach believes Yildiz’s importance to Juventus goes beyond his potential transfer value and made it clear that he wants the youngster available for the entire 2026/27 season.
“I experience it calmly because the player is Yildiz. From my point of view, it’s simple. They can offer whatever they want. I want to be able to field Yildiz next season, and Yildiz is a guy who is perfect to have mature conversations with. And consequently, he knows very well that he shouldn’t rush anything, that he shouldn’t speed anything up.”
Yildiz’s ability to operate from the left flank while also drifting centrally, a versatility Arsenal’s system under Arteta is designed to exploit, underpins both clubs’ conviction in his potential.
A massive offer might not be enough to sign Yildiz
Spalletti’s confidence rests on Yildiz’s already considerable value to Juventus, comparable, he suggested, to any offer Arsenal might make.
“His future is already important at Juventus. It’s not important because someone offers 100m or because there is a club that has the financial power to spend at this moment. He is already at the club that offers 100m for him. So, we are all very calm.”
Yildiz has established himself as one of Serie A’s most exciting attacking talents since making his senior Juventus debut in 2023. The 21-year-old joined the club from Bayern Munich in 2022 after spending much of his youth career in Germany. Last season, he registered 11 goals and 10 assists in 47 appearances across competitions.
Arsenal’s interest in Yildiz is not new, either. The North London club explored a move for him last summer but were unable to reach an agreement. The Gunners have already lost Leandro Trossard to Besiktas this summer, while Gabriel Martinelli’s future remains uncertain amid his links with Al-Hilal. That has increased the North London club’s need to strengthen their attack.
For now, though, Spalletti’s message is clear: Juventus have no intention of being pressured into selling Yildiz, regardless of the size of Arsenal’s potential offer.
