Arsenal are plotting an ambitious move for highly rated Juventus starlet Kenan Yildiz, according to Italian news outlet Corriere dello Sport.
The Gunners want to bolster their attacking options, especially after parting ways with Leandro Trossard and Brazilian duo Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus last summer.
Arsenal signed Christos Tzolis from Belgian side Club Brugge after missing out on primary target Morgan Rogers, who chose Chelsea ahead of the Premier League champions.
They were also linked with a blockbuster move for Real Madrid superstar Vinicius Junior, but the Brazilian ended those rumours by signing a new deal.
That double whammy forced Arsenal to consider other options, and that’s where Tzolis came in. However, the Gunners want to provide more competition for the Greek winger.
Arsenal signed Tzolis for around £35 million. The 24-year-old is still waiting for his first goal for the Gunners but has already racked up four assists in eight games.
The Greece international will need more time to adapt to English football, but Arsenal are still pursuing some of their long-standing targets.
That includes Yildiz. The Gunners have monitored Yildiz’s development at Juventus for several years and could be handed a major boost in their attempt to lure him to the Emirates Stadium.
Juventus consider Yildiz a prized asset, but they could be forced to cash in if they don’t qualify for the Champions League again.
Yildiz has developed into one of Europe’s most exciting and talented youngsters since joining Juventus from Bayern Munich four years ago.
The 21-year-old has made 132 appearances for the Italian giants, scoring 27 goals and providing 21 assists during that time.
He scored 11 times and added 10 assists in 47 appearances across all competitions last season as Juventus narrowly missed out on Champions League qualification.
If that happens again, it’ll give Arsenal the green light to finally make their move, although it remains to be seen if they’ll test Juventus’ resolve in January.
Reports claim an offer of around £85m could be enough to make Juventus reconsider their stance, given their financial troubles.