Arsenal make €40m bid for the 'new Del Piero'

Carlo Garganese

• 25 Sept 2024 12:00 BST
• 3 min read

Juventus rejected bids this summer ranging from €30-40 million from Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund for teenage wonderkid Kenan Yildiz.

That is according to Nicolo Schira, who reports that both European sides submitted official offers for the Turkish attacker who has been labelled ‘the new Alessandro Del Piero’ after the ex-Juventus and Italy legend.

The left-sided attacker, whose preferred role is on the left wing but can also play as a number 10 or attacking midfielder, hit the headlines a fortnight ago after a brilliant curling goal for Juventus versus PSV in the Champions League.

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Juventus rejected the offers from Arsenal and Dortmund and made it clear that the 19-year-old Turkey star is not for sale at any price.

Indeed, the Bianconeri plan to build their next winning cycle around the winger.

Yildiz at Juventus

Kenan Yildiz has emerged in 2024 as one of the most exciting young talents at Juventus in years.

READ MORE: Latest Arsenal transfer news

The teenager has long been tipped to become a superstar. Juve beat Barcelona to his signature as a 16-year-old in the summer of 2022 when his contract at Bayern Munich expired.

At the time this was considered as a huge coup for a player seen as one of the best in the world at his age group.

Yildiz initially played with Juventus’ Under-19s and Next Gen team in Serie C, but broke into the first team setup midway through last season.

He has had a very exciting start to the 2024-25 campaign, with one goal and two assists in six appearances amid a series of electric performances.

Yildiz has already been compared to Juventus legend Alessandro Del Piero, who was his idol as a kid.

Like the 2006 World Cup winner, Yildiz loves to cut in from the left and boasts wonderful control, technique and the ability to beat a man and unleash a shot in on goal.

He even celebrates in the same way as Del Piero did, sticking out his tongue when he scores. The pair have developed something of a bromance together.

Yildiz has been capped 12 times by Tukey, scoring one goal and playing at Euro 2024.