Chelsea and Arsenal are in a battle over a deal to sign Juventus’ versatile forward Kenan Yildiz, according to CaughtOffside.
Following his move to Turin on a free transfer from Bayern Munich in 2022, the versatile forward has continued to receive comparatively modest wages when measured against numerous squad members, despite emerging as one of Juventus’ most influential match-winners since last term.
His first appearance arrived as a second-half replacement on 20 August 2023 during the 3–0 win away to Udinese at the Stadio Friuli, before he struck again on his maiden start on 23 December — breaking the deadlock in the Bianconeri’s 2–1 success over Frosinone.
From that point onwards, Yildiz has not only secured a significant role within the setup but has also developed into one of Europe’s most exciting young attackers, a standing underlined by his selection on the shortlist for the 2025 Golden Boy Award.
That upward trajectory has continued this campaign, with the teenager registering six goals and six assists in 21 games across all competitions for the Bianconeri this season, inevitably attracting interest from Europe’s top clubs.
In the Premier League, CaughtOffside reports that Chelsea and Arsenal are leading the race to sign Yildiz – whose contract talks with Juventus are stalling.
Battle
For the Blues, the report adds that the Club World Cup champions remain keen on the 20-year-old after seeing their £61m offer rebuffed last summer.
Enzo Maresca’s side views the versatile forward as a viable option for their youth-driven, long-term investment strategy and believes they’re well-positioned to complete his transfer given their close relationship with his agent, Jorge Mendes.
On the other hand, Arsenal remain ‘firmly in contention’ for the youngster and are prepared to make a move, having been in direct contact with the player’s agent, citing his technical qualities as a good fit for Mikel Arteta’s side, per the report.
While Yildiz’s reported £5m-per-year salary demands fit within the Blues’ incentivised pay structure, Juventus will likely demand a fee above his £65m Transfermarkt valuation, giving Arsenal the advantage as Chelsea appear to have moved away from overpaying for players, having previously walked away from deals to sign Xavi Simons and Victor Osimhen.
