Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta is monitoring 20-year-old Kenan Yildiz’s situation as the player’s contract talks with Juventus continue to drag on.
Ryan Taylor reports for Football.London that Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta is monitoring the situation of Juventus’ Kenan Yildiz, with the player’s contract extension talks yet to reach a positive conclusion.
Yet Taylor adds that Berta following Yildiz is considered to be standard practice, rather than a significant development, and Juventus are relaxed about the player’s contract given his current deal expires in 2029.
Even so, Yildiz’s camp feel he warrants a more lucrative salary, and there has reportedly been informal contact from a number of Premier League clubs in the past six months.
If Arsenal do ultimately make a move for Yildiz, it won’t be an easy deal to do. Juventus will want a big fee, and Taylor points out that the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea, and Real Madrid have been credited with an interest this year.
The Gunners are also unlikely to make a move in the January transfer window, following a big summer of spending in 2025.
Yildiz has three goals and four assists for Juventus so far this season, making 15 appearances in all competitions.
The Turkish international started the season in red-hot form, with six of his goal contributions coming in his first four appearances. Things have clearly slowed down a lot since then, with just one goal in the other 11 matches.
That kind of dip is normal for a young attacker, and Yildiz evidently remains very highly rated, including in north London.