Arsenal are facing a major obstacle in their pursuit of Kenan Yildiz, with Juventus determined to keep the highly-rated winger beyond the summer transfer deadline.
The Gunners have admired the 21-year-old for some time as Mikel Arteta continues to assess options to strengthen his attack. However, according to Football Insider, Juventus are “doing everything they can” to retain Yildiz and would only consider a sale if an extraordinary offer arrived.
Manager Luciano Spalletti has also publicly made clear that he does not want to lose the Turkish international, with that position strongly backed by the Juventus hierarchy.
Juventus take firm stance on Yildiz
Yildiz has developed into one of the most important young players in Serie A and produced 24 goal contributions across all competitions last season. His growing influence prompted Juventus to secure his long-term future earlier this summer.
The promising young winger signed a new four-year contract in June, keeping him in Turin until 2030 and significantly improving his salary. That agreement has strengthened Juventus’s negotiating position considerably, leaving them under no pressure to cash in.
Reports have suggested Arsenal may need to offer at least £60 million simply to begin serious discussions, although Juventus’s internal valuation is believed to be considerably higher. With only days remaining in the transfer window, the Serie A giants would also have little time to recruit an adequate replacement.
Arsenal may have to look elsewhere
Yildiz remains high on Arsenal’s attacking shortlist, but the combination of his long-term contract, Juventus’s refusal to sell and the limited time remaining makes a deal increasingly unrealistic. Arteta has been looking for another high-quality option capable of operating from the left side and sees Yildiz’s age and versatility as particularly attractive.
However, Arsenal would likely need to submit a genuinely exceptional proposal to force Juventus into reconsidering their position. Yildiz looks like a perfect long-term Arsenal target, but timing is working heavily against the Gunners. Juventus have just renewed his contract, Spalletti wants him to stay and the club have virtually no incentive to sell this late in the window.
Arsenal could test their resolve with a huge offer, but unless they are prepared to go well beyond the widely reported £60 million figure, this pursuit appears unlikely to succeed now. Keeping Yildiz on the radar for a future window may therefore be more realistic than trying to force through an expensive last-minute deal.
