Arsenal are upped the ante in the race to sign Juventus forward Kenan Yildiz, according to reports in the Italian media.
Corriere Dello Sport claim that the Gunners have made “new steps” in their attempt to secure the Turkish international’s services.
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It is believed that they have contacted Yildiz’s representatives recently to ascertain his salary demands ahead of a potential bid.
The 20-year-old remains locked in talks over a new deal with Juve but an impasse in negotiations has been reached, which has prompted other clubs (such as Arsenal) to make enquiries.
What are Yildiz’s wage demands?
The Corriere Dello Sport report that the winger is keen to be on the same salary as summer signing Jonathan David, who is currently taking a home between €6m to €7m a year.
Yildiz earns €1.7m a year plus bonuses, and the last offer he received from Juventus was said to be worth around €5m a year. That is roughly £84,000 a week.
Arsenal and other high-profile European teams would be prepared to offer him significantly more than this, so it isn’t a surprise that the Gunners are in the ear of his entourage.
The Arsenal target has been praised by a Premier League icon
Former Chelsea forward Gianfranco Zola has made a point of drawing similarities between Yildiz and himself. Speaking about the player earlier this year, he said:
“There are players who have my characteristics, but today’s football is very different from the one I played. Let’s give an example: Yildiz of Juventus is a footballer who has qualities similar to mine, but he is not the only one.”
Yildiz is clearly a player with a huge amount of potential, and if Arsenal do end up signing him, it would be seen as a big coup.
Read more about the Arsenal First Team Squad for 2025/26 here