Juventus head coach Luciano Spalletti has confirmed that Arsenal transfer target Kenan Yildiz will remain at the club this summer. The 21-year-old Turkish winger has been linked with a move to the Gunners, who are still seeking attacking reinforcements before the transfer window closes at 11pm BST on September 1.
Spalletti's stance on Yildiz
Speaking at a press conference ahead of Juventus' Serie A opener away at newly-promoted Frosinone on Sunday, Spalletti dismissed the possibility of Yildiz leaving, despite reports of suitors willing to pay €100 million (£85m) for the player. "I am perfectly relaxed, because dealing with Yildiz is easy for me," Spalletti said, per Football Italia. "They can offer whatever they like, I want Yildiz here and will always put him on the field."
"He's a perfect lad to talk to, he's mature, and knows he doesn't need to rush anything. His future is already important staying at Juventus, not because there are other clubs who want to spend €100m for him," Spalletti added. "We are all convinced that we can show the total potential of Kenan, and he is a potential phenomenon of football. The fans are convinced too."
Arsenal's other attacking targets
Arsenal continue to be linked with a high-profile move for wantaway Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez heading into a busy final week of the market. Reports also suggest the Gunners retain an interest in Victor Osimhen, whose name came up initially during talks with Galatasaray over Gabriel Martinelli.
Yildiz's Juventus record
Juventus are in a strong position over Yildiz, who signed a new four-year contract extension in February that runs until the summer of 2030. He has scored 27 goals and provided 21 assists in 131 total appearances for the club since arriving in Turin from Bayern Munich's youth academy in 2022. The German-born Yildiz is also a star for the Turkish national team, netting five goals in 31 senior caps to date and playing at this summer's World Cup in North America.
