Arsenal are exploring a move for Juventus star Kenan Yildiz in a deal which could see Gabriel Martinelli go the other way. Yildiz, 21, is high on the Gunners' shortlist and Mikel Arteta in particular wants the German-born Turkey international.
Having agreed a £51million deal to sign Ezri Konsa and in turn alleviate their defensive concerns, Arsenal's focus has switched to signing a forward, particularly one who can play on the left wing. The Gunners were interested in Morgan Rogers before his £117million move to Chelsea and missed out on Vinicius Junior after he decided to extend his contract with Real Madrid.
Yildiz valued at £60m by Juventus
Now, according to the Independent, Yildiz is being targeted. Juventus would demand north of £60m, a fee which would take Arsenal's net spend this summer to almost £200m after paying sums for Christos Tzolis, Bruno Guimaraes and soon enough Konsa.
So, a solution to help balance the books has been discussed. It's reported that although negotiations would be required, Martinelli could be used in a swap deal, with the 25-year-old having been left out of Arteta's squad for the Community Shield.
Yildiz's productive campaign
Yildiz signed for Juventus on a free transfer in the summer of 2022 after coming through Bayern Munich's academy. The 21-year-old enjoyed by far his most productive campaign last season, scoring 11 goals and providing nine assists in 47 appearances, although Juventus could only manage a sixth-place finish in Serie A.
Meanwhile, some thought at Arsenal has been given to waiting until future windows to sign Junior Kroupi from Bournemouth, who was a target prior to his pre-season injury. Julian Alvarez also remains on Arsenal's shortlist and there's a possibility that Atletico Madrid's refusal to sell him to Barcelona, coupled with his desire to leave, could yet present an opportunity for the Gunners.
Arteta on squad changes
Arteta has made it clear both privately and in public that Arsenal can't stand still after winning the Premier League title, with their next aim being to lift the Champions League and get their hands on domestic trophies. "Well, we are really active in the market. I think I mentioned that a few days ago," he said on Thursday when asked about their pursuit of Konsa.
"The ambition is to improve the squad. We have a really specific issue in the backline, especially with the long-term injury of Wilo [Saliba] and the fact that we miss one more defender; that's clear. So we are trying to reinforce that area. Whenever we're ready, we'll announce something."
Arteta went on to admit that some long-serving players such as Martinelli may have to be moved on in order to accommodate new signings. "It's a really, really tough moment, you need to face that reality," he confessed.
"But you need to face it with real honesty and transparency because when you are on the other side, that's exactly what you need. You might not like what you've been told, but if it's truthful, if it's the reality, if it's honest and it's going to help you to make better decisions and have more clarity for the next steps in your career, you have to do that."
