Arsenal pursue Juventus winger Kenan Yildiz after Vinicius Junior snub
Arsenal have turned their attention to signing Juventus winger Kenan Yildiz for a reported £85m after failing to bring Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior to the Premier League.
The Gunners had been plotting a club-record move for the Brazilian superstar, but he has instead opted to sign a contract extension with the Spanish giants.
Manager Mikel Arteta is eager to add more firepower to his attacking ranks and has revisited a previous interest in the highly-rated Turkey international.
Juventus stand firm over rising star
The north London outfit made an initial enquiry for the versatile attacker earlier this summer, following up on a similar approach 12 months ago.
However, the Serie A club remain extremely reluctant to sell their prized asset and have placed a demanding £85m valuation on his services.
The 21-year-old recently committed his long-term future to the Old Lady, signing a new contract in February that keeps him in Turin until 2030.
He enjoyed a spectacular breakthrough campaign last term, scoring 11 goals in 47 appearances to earn the prestigious title of Serie A Rising Star of the Season.
Injury concerns and squad rebuild
The dynamic forward featured three times for his country at the World Cup this summer, although a persistent calf injury severely disrupted his tournament preparations.
Juventus manager Luciano Spalletti recently emphasised the attacker’s importance while confirming the club is carefully managing his return to full fitness.
“He is a very important footballer for us. For this reason, we are carefully managing his playing time, trying to build a correct schedule and work path to have him at his best throughout the season.”
“But the fact that he is no longer in pain, that he is smiling and free to express his football is what makes us most happy,” Spalletti added.
A successful £85m pursuit would significantly increase Arsenal’s summer expenditure, following the recent £75m acquisition of Newcastle United midfielder Bruno Guimaraes.
Arteta has already bolstered his wide options during this window, securing a £34m deal for Club Brugge winger Christos Tzolis to compete with the likes of Gabriel Martinelli, Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke.