Arsenal have been linked with a transfer bid for a Serie A star - but do they stand any chance of getting a deal over the line?
Arsenal may be champions of England once more, but their recruitment team don’t appear to be under any illusions about the fact that there is still room for improvement within the squad – and the hunt for a new left winger appears to be a particular priority heading into the summer transfer window, which opens next Monday.
Arsenal head coach Mikel Artetaplaceholder image
Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta | AFP via Getty Images
With Gabriel Martinelli struggling to cut a consistently convincing figure, Leandro Trossard getting a little longer in the tooth and Eberechi Eze arguably better used as a number 10, the Gunners are keen to strengthen their left flank. According to The Athletic, they have one particular target in mind: Rising Juventus star Kenan Yildiz.
Arsenal keen to sign Kenan Yildiz this summer – reports
The Athletic report that Arsenal have already “made an enquiry” about the availability of Turkey international Yildiz, who is regarded by his club as one of their most important players as they embark on a rebuild of their own. Juventus, apparently, made it plain that the 21-year-old was “not for sale” – but that may not necessarily be the end of the story.
Juventus, who haven’t won the Scudetto for six years, find themselves in a worrying financial position after failing to qualify for the Champions League next season. Reports suggest that they will need to raise a minimum of €30m (£26m) from player sales this summer to keep an even fiscal keel – an achievable figure, but one that has to be balanced against their need to sign several new players to strengthen their own squad, with new strikers a particular priority.
The Old Lady have several other players they would prefer to sell in order to raise the funds. Wing-back Andrea Cambiaso has his suitors, while defender Federico Gatti and centre-forward Loïs Openda is expected to leave. Fellow striker Jonathan David could follow him out, too. But if any of those more likely sales fail to materialise, then more drastic measure may have to be considered.
Still, Yildiz is regarded as a cornerstone of their project, and signed a new contract extension as recently as February which tied him to Juventus until 2030. They are only likely to consider a sale if the financial picture worsens considerably, or if Arsenal come in with a truly stratospheric offer. There is no asking price as it stands, but Juventus supposedly valued him at £70m last summer - a price that proved to be too steep for his suitors at the time. It is probable that £70m would not be sufficient now.
That means that if Arsenal (or indeed any other side – Chelsea are also known to be admirers) are to stand any chance of getting a deal done, they will either have to break the bank or be patient and to wait for much of the rest of the summer window to unfold, knowing all the while that the likelihood is this Juventus remain unmoved as the deadline hoves into view.
Is it likely that Yildiz leaves Juventus this summer?
Yildiz, for his part, has toed the party line, brushing alleged Premier League interest aside and recently telling the Italian media that he is “very happy” in Turin. If he is interested in malingering in order to force a move, he’s doing a stellar job of hiding it.
The young winger, who scored 14 goals and provided 10 assists over the course of the last year including the Club World Cup, will likely be very hard to get hold of. Juventus intend to build their team around his talents, and Yildiz seems happy to be along for the ride. Any attempts to force the matter from Arsenal appear likely to fall short.
That suggests that it’s more likely that Arsenal, having apparently been rebuffed, will look elsewhere. AC Milan’s Rafael Leão, for example, is expected to be available with two years left on his contract, and has made it clear that he’s keen to move on. The Portuguese winger is another player that the Gunners have tracked for some time, and would represent a far more obtainable target.
But an attempt to bully Juventus into selling Yildiz can’t be completely discounted. Arsenal have tracked the Turk for some time and were linked with a bid last summer and over the winter, before he decided to commit his future to his current club. All the signs suggest that Juve will hold fast, but Arsenal are very keen indeed, and may not give up without a fight.
The most likely scenario, as it stands, is that Yildiz remains in Turin for the next year or two at least, while Arsenal turn their attentions to another left winger. The Athletic added that they were “pursuing other options” after Juventus pushed back on their enquiry, and that may be the end of the matter for now. But things change quickly in transfer windows – especially if the player in question happens to have a good World Cup.
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