Arsenal face a major obstacle in their pursuit of Juventus forward Kenan Yıldız, with the Italian club unwilling to consider his sale even if a bid exceeds €100m (£86m). Juventus regard the 21-year-old Turkey international as central to their long-term plans and have made clear that he is not available for transfer.
Arsenal are prioritising attacking reinforcements before the summer transfer window closes, with manager Mikel Arteta looking to add a high-quality forward capable of making a decisive impact. Yıldız has emerged as one of the leading options after the Premier League club’s attempts to sign other targets failed.
The Turkish forward is viewed as a possible alternative to Vinicius Junior because of his ability to play on the left wing or operate as a number 10 behind the striker. That versatility would give Arteta greater tactical flexibility, but Juventus’ position means a deal would be extremely difficult to complete.
According to an update published by TEAMtalk, Juventus have rejected an approach from Arsenal and described Yıldız as “untouchable”. The club does not want to lose him, regardless of the size of any offer.
Arsenal first made enquiries about Yıldız in June before renewing their interest more strongly in recent weeks. Juventus, however, believe he is one of the most important players in their squad and want to build their future team around him.
The club’s determination is also linked to its ambition to restore Juventus to a position of competing regularly for major honours. Keeping Yıldız is considered a fundamental part of that rebuilding project, rather than a decision that can be settled simply by accepting a substantial transfer fee.
Juventus strengthened their negotiating position in February by agreeing a new four-year contract with Yıldız. That agreement means Arsenal would have to make an offer significantly above the €100m mark even to persuade the Italian club to consider discussing a possible departure in principle.
The difficulty follows Arsenal’s disappointment in the race for Morgan Rogers. The London club had been prepared to pay about £80m for the player, but Chelsea completed the deal for £117m.
After that move collapsed, Arsenal turned their attention to Vinicius Junior. The Brazil international had rejected an offer to extend his contract with Real Madrid, prompting speculation that he could consider a move to the Premier League.
Arteta held direct discussions with representatives of the Brazilian and Vinicius seriously examined the possibility of joining Arsenal. His priority, however, remained staying at Real Madrid, and he ultimately signed a new six-year contract with the Spanish club.
With the Vinicius situation resolved, Arsenal resumed their search for alternative attacking targets and Yıldız became a prominent name on their list. Italian media reports subsequently identified the Juventus player as one of the club’s main objectives for the final stages of the transfer window.
Arsenal have other options if they cannot persuade Juventus to sell. Bradley Barcola, Nico Williams and Iliman Ndiaye are among the alternatives being considered.
The club has already contacted Barcola’s representatives as it attempts to beat Liverpool to the France international. Liverpool are also negotiating for the player, but Paris Saint-Germain are demanding a substantial fee of €150m (£128m) to allow Barcola to leave.
For now, Juventus’ stance leaves Arsenal facing a difficult choice: make an offer far beyond €100m or move on to another target, with the Italian club showing no desire to give up one of the key players in its plans for the future.
