Juventus wait on Luciano Spalletti as Kenan Yildiz deal nears

If there was any doubt concerning the esteem wherein Juventus supervisor Luciano Spalletti holds Kenan Yildiz, it was dispelled after final week’s Champions League win over Benfica.

“Yildiz is the staff’s alien,” stated Spalletti. “He turns conditions on their head.”

It was not the primary time the Italian has indulged his penchant for a poetic flip of phrase when talking of the Juventus No 10, and it will not be the final.

Spalletti was at it once more on Sunday, when Yildiz produced an appropriately otherworldly end in a crushing 3-0 victory over Napoli, commanding time and really restricted house as, pursued by opposing defender Juan Jesus, he slowed issues down on the very second when the extra pure intuition would have been to panic. With Jesus bearing down on his shoulder and goalkeeper Alex Merey advancing forward of him, Yildiz waited for a cut up second earlier than calmly slotting residence to double Juve’s benefit.

Luciano Spalletti: ‘Kenan Yildiz is an alien’

It was the crowning second in a efficiency that, however for some wayward ending by Khephren Thuram and Francisco Conceicao, might need yielded much more. The 20-year-old Turkey worldwide nonetheless did sufficient to show Spalletti’s ideas starwards as soon as once more.

“Yildiz performed because the striker and scored,” enthused the Italian. “He’s an alien, not a traditional footballer. From time to time he does one thing improper simply to see if he can match into normality, however he can’t. He merely can’t turn out to be a traditional footballer.”

It’s a view shared throughout Europe. Chelsea and Arsenal each had bids for the 20-year-old Turkey worldwide rejected final summer season, whereas Actual Madrid are reportedly monitoring Yildiz’s progress. With Juventus fifth in Serie A, nevertheless, only a level adrift of Napoli and third-placed Roma, and nonetheless in rivalry within the Champions League, the place they’re fifteenth however solely a degree behind Paris Saint-Germain in sixth, there isn’t a query of Yildiz going anyplace within the rapid future.

Uncertainty over Yildiz’s future

Long run, although, the outlook is much less clear. Whereas Yildiz’s contract runs till the summer season of 2029, talks over an improved deal that might considerably enhance his earnings have remained ongoing for the previous six months. Dropping Yildiz, the jewel within the Juventus crown, is unthinkable.

It’s a case of double jeopardy for the Turin membership.

Within the three months since Igor Tudor’s transient reign got here to an finish, Spalletti has been no much less elementary to the upturn in Juve’s fortunes than Yildiz. The Italian has gained a dozen of his 18 league matches on the helm, struggling simply two defeats, and altered the membership’s temper, trajectory and id. Unsurprisingly, as with Yildiz, Juventus now need to prolong Spalletti’s contract, which presently runs till the tip of the season. The supervisor, nevertheless, has made it clear he sees his future in Turin as inextricably linked to that of the membership’s younger star; if Juventus need to hold Spalletti, they have to additionally hold Yildiz.

Juventus near settlement over Yildiz

Fortunately for the Bianconeri, the indicators look like encouraging on the latter entrance. Following a declare by Gazzetta dello Sport that Spalletti is reluctant to commit his future to the membership till a brand new long-term deal for Yildiz has been secured, studies have emerged in Italy that the ahead is near agreeing a revised contract, price an estimated £5.2m a yr, that might hold him on the membership till 2031.

With Serbian ahead Dusan Vlahovic anticipated to go away Turin when his contract expires this summer season, the deal would make Yildiz the membership’s highest paid participant. It’s understood the contract has been signed off by membership proprietor John Elkann, with an announcement anticipated both facet of the present switch window.

Assuming all goes as deliberate, Juventus will hope that Spalletti follows his gallatico in signing on the dotted line.