Arsenal have received a boost in their pursuit of a £127m-rated star and Mikel Arteta has been handed an update on another major transfer target
Mikel Arteta
Mikel Arteta has signed a new Arsenal contract until 2029
Arsenal have received a big boost as they eye a major January transfer who could help galvanise Mikel Arteta's bid to retain the Premier League title.
The reigning champions were battered 3-0 by Brighton ahead of the international break in the biggest upset of the season so far, but they got back to winning ways on Saturday against a stubborn Leeds United outfit, coming from behind after going 1-0 down to secure a 2-1 victory and keep them in touching distance of league leaders Manchester City.
Now the Gunners will welcome French side Lille to North London in the Champions League on Tuesday evening, hoping to follow up on the win they recorded away against Napoli last month. Off the field, the search for a world class attacking talent to complement their existing forward line continues. Here's all the latest news from the Emirates.
LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 06: Mikel Arteta, Manager / Head Coach of Arsenal celebrates during the Premier League 2026/27 match between Arsenal FC and Chelsea FC at Emirates Stadium on September 06, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images)
Mikel Arteta has plenty to smile about at Arsenal(Image: Marc Atkins/Getty Images)
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Kenan Yildiz boost
Arsenal have been handed encouragement in the pursuit of Kenan Yildiz's signature. The Gunners have been long-standing admirers of the Juventus star, reports the Mirror.
They made enquiries about the 21-year-old Turkey international during the summer but were informed by Juventus that their star winger was not available for transfer.
Alongside Arsenal, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich were also reportedly keen on the £127m-rated player.
However, German outlet BILD claims Bayern, where Yildiz launched his career, will step aside if rival clubs table massive bids.
Kenan Yildiz of Juventus looks on during the Serie A match between Juventus FC and ACF Fiorentina at Allianz Stadium on May 17, 2026 in Turin, Italy.
Kenan Yildiz of Juventus is highly rated(Image: Filippo Alfero - Juventus FC/Juventus FC via Getty Images)
The Bundesliga powerhouses are reluctant to admit they made an expensive error by originally releasing him, the same report suggests.
Arsenal, meanwhile, are believed to have the financial muscle to match Juve's valuation, placing them at the front of the queue.
The Gunners held back their spending during the summer after witnessing both their big-money chases of Vinicius Junior and Julian Alvarez come to nothing.
Yildiz has 27 goals in 132 appearances for the Serie A giants and has bagged five times for Turkey in 31 outings.
Julian Alvarez behaviour
Julian Alvarez (Atletico de Madrid) seen in action during LaLiga EA SPORTS 2026/2027 game between teams of Atletico de Madrid and Real Madrid CF.
Arsenal are reportedly planning another move for Julian Alvarez(Image: Maciej Rogowski/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone has commended Alvarez's recent conduct. The Argentine forward was blocked from his dream switch from Atletico to Barcelona by the club during the summer.
This occurred despite the 26-year-old consistently expressing his wish to depart, which led to him being jeered by his own supporters at the beginning of this campaign.
He even skipped multiple training sessions during the final week of the transfer window while attempting to engineer a move to Catalonia.
Arsenal had their sights set on Alvarez, and while Atletico were open to offers for their disgruntled star, he was not keen on joining the Gunners.
He has since been welcomed back into Simeone's squad and played the entire second half of Saturday's victory over Alaves.
Simeone was impressed by the forward's commitment and effort, despite recent whispers that he had reconsidered his initial decision to reject Arsenal.
The manager said: "I thought Julian [Alvarez] looked good today. He came on with enthusiasm, eager to do well and help the team. He finished the match well."
Before the match, Simeone had said: "I see him in good shape, enthusiastic, and he has the desire to give everything he has, as he always does. When he is in good shape, he gives us a different dimension in attack."