Arsenal in ‘pole position’ for Kenan Yildiz transfer, Liverpool position revealed
Arsenal have found themselves at the front of the queue to secure Kenan Yildiz’s signature in the January transfer window.
The Turkish starlet is being linked with a move to the Premier League this winter, after his performances for Juventus have caught the eye in recent months.
Football Insider exclusively revealed back in September that Yildiz would not be a priority for Chelsea in the January window, and now one of their major London rivals appear ready to take advantage of that.
Manchester United have also been linked with Yildiz in recent months, but they have also seemingly fallen down the pecking order in the race for a deal.
Mikel Arteta and Co. now look likely to become the beneficiaries, with the Gunners in pole position to seal the transfer.
Arsenal ‘leading the race’ for Yildiz transfer
Yildiz’s performances prompted an explosion of Premier League interest in the summer, with several of the ‘top six’ clubs eyeing up a move for the 20-year-old.
The winger has begun the 2025-26 campaign with five goal involvements from his opening ten Serie A games, and that has done little to quash the interest that has mounted in him of late.
Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool are all showing an intent to sign the starlet, but it is the North Londoners who are currently “leading the race” for the transfer, according to Turin-based outlet Tutto Sport.
Yildiz remains under contract at Juventus until the summer of 2029, but the two parties have become stuck in a “stalemate” regarding a potential new deal.
The Old Lady want to raise the youngster’s wages in order to make him one of the highest-paid players at the club, but there are concerns over whether they can match his ambitions of competing on all fronts.
The Gunners will need at least £70m to sign Yildiz
Chelsea reportedly had a £70million bid for Yildiz rejected in the summer, and while Juventus’ current demands are unclear, that figure will surely provide the benchmark for Arsenal in their pursuit.
Despite the stand-off that is unfolding in Turin at the moment, Juventus are under no pressure to sell Yildiz, considering that he is still under contract for another three-and-a-half years.
With that in mind, unless the player himself begins to push for a Premier League move in the coming weeks, then £70m is surely the absolute minimum amount that Arsenal would have to table in order to have their offer seriously considered.
Arteta’s side already spent heavily in the summer, yet any move for Yildiz in the coming months would likely immediately thrust him among their most expensive buys of all time.