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He’s one in every of European soccer’s hottest rising skills, a participant who has resisted the overtures of Barcelona and Bayern Munich and been the main target of curiosity from Chelsea and Arsenal.
However Kenan Yildiz, the 20-year-old Turkey worldwide thought to be the jewel in Juventus’s crown, goes nowhere based on stories within the Italian press, the place it has been claimed the striker is near agreeing a profitable new contract.
Yildiz, who’s valued at €100m (£86m) by the Turin membership and has been repeatedly linked with a transfer to the Premier League, has been recognized by common supervisor Damien Comolli amongst a trio of “untouchables” that features the French defensive midfielder Khéphren Thuram and Andrea Cambiaso, the versatile Italy full-back.
Yildiz was dubbed “the Turkish Firmino” within the face of reputed curiosity from Liverpool in 2023, whereas former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes has additionally made plain his admiration for the ahead, tweeting: “Who the f*** is that this Yildiz?” beside three applause emojis throughout Juventus’ 2-0 residence win over Manchester Metropolis within the Champions League final December.
The Bianconeri have steadfastly refused to entertain affords for Yildiz, nevertheless, declining a £34m bid from Arsenal final yr and likewise rejecting a £59m supply from Chelsea this summer season that prompted the Stamford Bridge membership to show their consideration to the Netherlands worldwide Xavi Simons, who has since moved to Tottenham.
Who’s Kenan Yildiz?
Born in jap Bavaria, Yildiz got here by Bayern Munich’s youth system earlier than Juventus fought off competitors from Barcelona and Ajax to signal him in July 2022.
He scored on his first senior begin for Juventus towards Frosinone the next yr, and final September grew to become the membership’s youngest ever Champions League goalscorer, netting towards PSV to eclipse a file beforehand held by Alessandro Del Piero.
His significance to the membership is equally evident commercially, with Yildiz’s marketability evident in an look alongside Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal in an Adidas promotional marketing campaign.
Hailed as essentially the most worthwhile Turkish participant in historical past, Yildiz seems content material to stay in Turin – for now.
“Staying at Juventus for the remainder of my life could be a dream for me,” he has mentioned. “However in soccer, you by no means know what can occur. I choose to benefit from the current with out pondering an excessive amount of in regards to the future.”
Yildiz’s current contract runs till 2029 and is price about £1.3m a yr, a determine prone to rise to about £3.5m – placing him among the many highest earners on the Allianz Stadium – as soon as a brand new long-term deal is agreed.
