Mikel Arteta and Enzo Maresca embrace ahead of a London derby at Emirates Stadium.placeholder image
Mikel Arteta and Enzo Maresca embrace ahead of a London derby at Emirates Stadium. | Arsenal FC via Getty Images
Reports have emerged of an early move made by Arsenal and Chelsea this summer
The transfer window is up for another summer and Premier League clubs must now make the best of their new-look squads until business is once again open in January.
The Gunners have seen their summer business make Mikel Arteta’s side a key challenger for the Premier League title once again, with game-changing signings such as Viktor Gyokeres, Eberechi Eze and Martin Zubimendi arriving through the door to elevate Mikel Arteta’s starting XI.
As for the Blues, quality arrivals have come in such as Joao Pedro, Estevao and Alejandro Garnacho, but arguably most credit has to be given to the Stamford Bridge club’s prolific selling strategy which has seen them obtain close to £300million in a record-breaking summer of player sales.
For both Arsenal and Chelsea, a failed transfer move early in the summer could have taken their window to a whole new level.
Arsenal and Chelsea both saw approaches rejected for Kenan Yildiz
Reported by Tutto Sport in Italy, both Arsenal and Chelsea made approaches for 20-year-old Juventus and Turkey winger Kenan Yildiz in June, approaches which were swiftly rejected by Juve for a player who is viewed as ‘priceless’ to the Old Lady.
Juventus are now reportedly approaching a contract renewal for their young star as an ‘immediate’ priority, as they aim to reward Yildiz for his increasing importance to the side with becoming one of the highest-paid players at the club. They are aware that his list of admirers is ever-growing and the wealth of the Premier League can be enticing, so they hope to extend his contract which already runs until 2029.
The report states that the London duo were among the primary suitors to test the waters early in the window, but Juventus erected a ‘very high wall’ for a player they view as ‘untransferable’.
Having swapped Bayern Munich for Juventus in 2022 to complete the final stages of his academy development in Turin, Yildiz made his professional debut for Juventus Next Gen in Serie C aged 17 before going on to strike 16 goals in 85 appearances for the Juve first team, despite having only just turned 20 in May.
Yildiz compared with Yamal and Laudrup
Former Italy, Juventus and Inter Milan striker Aldo Serena recently spoke to Tuttosport on Yildiz comparisons with Denmark great Michael Laudrup and Barcelona sensation Lamine Yamal.
Serena said: "One thing more than anything else: he appears very kind, composed, and polite. But in his case, that's not at all misleading: the fact that he's so measured in his behaviour doesn't make him soft, on the contrary. On the pitch, he's someone who knows how to command respect. He has a fire inside him that he fuels day after day on the pitch: I'm struck by his hunger, his desire to progress."
On the Yamal comparisons, he said: "It's probably an exaggerated comparison. But not because Kenan lacks anything. They have similar characteristics, yes, but Yildiz is unique. He has everything, he has a recognizable way of playing. He doesn't have to chase anyone to demonstrate how much he can shift the balance of power. In general, a comparison like that to Yamal doesn't do him any good, because he lacks nothing to be a world-class player.
"When I see him play, I immediately think of Laudrup . The way he curves, the way he breaks with the ball at his feet, and the way he counters. But Laudrup, who was a sublime player, revelled in dribbling. Too much, exaggerating certain plays that then prevented him from being effective in front of goal. Yildiz, on the other hand, wants to shoot more. He tries to convert the fruit of his technique; he has a different nastiness."
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