Arsenal have reportedly registered an interest in Juventus attacking midfielder Kenan Yildiz amid some doubts over whether he’ll sign a new contract.
The talented young Turkey international, who has nine goals and six assists in his last 29 games in all competitions for club and country, has recently been linked with a number of top clubs.
Simon Phillips has reported on the likes of Chelsea and Liverpool being keen on Yildiz, and now there’s growing speculation about Arsenal.
The Gunners were recently mentioned by Italian outlet Gazzetta dello Sport as one of the clubs keeping an eye on Yildiz’s contract talks, and it now seems they’ve been in contact with super agent Jorge Mendes about a deal.
Latest reports on Kenan Yildiz’s future and Arsenal transfer interest
The latest information coming out of Italy, via La Repubblica, is that Yildiz is asking for a huge pay rise from around €1.5m a year to more like €6m a year.
The 20-year-old’s situation has sparked interest from Arsenal, with Mendes contacted by the north London giants as he handles enquiries from Premier League clubs.
Apart from that, Yildiz is mostly being represented by his father, but it seems Arsenal are clearly working their way towards seriously exploring the possibility of this deal after approaching Mendes.
It all sounds like it’s at an early stage, but AFC fans will be excited to see if this develops any further, as Yildiz is one of the most exciting young players in world football and a potentially huge signing for the club.
It’s hard to see the former Bayern Munich youngster becoming the clear first choice over players like Martin Odegaard and Eberechi Eze, but perhaps he could be a long-term replacement for the ageing Leandro Trossard.
Squad depth is also hugely important, as Arsenal have recently found out after so many injuries to key players In The early parts of the season.