Chelsea target €90m wonderkid deal after agent meeting

Tom Weber

Updated: 2 Feb 2025 11:14 CST
4 min read

Kenan Yildiz is once again being linked with a Premier League transfer after his parents were spotted meeting with superagent Jorge Mendes.

The Turkish wonderkid is regarded as one of European football's biggest talents. Yildiz was snapped up by Juventus from Bayern Munich in 2022 and has established himself as a first-teamer over the past 12 months.

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The 19-year-old has a knack for scoring in big games and this makes him an attractive commodity. Yildiz has been linked with the likes of Arsenal and Liverpool for some time. Indeed, Arsenal have had him on their radar since his Bayern days.

However, Yildiz signed a long-term contract extension in August and was handed Alessandro del Piero's legendary No.10 shirt, which successfully quieted some of the transfer speculation surrounding him.

Unfortunately, the silence hasn't lasted long and Yildiz is now once more hitting the headlines in Italy.

Chelsea want Yildiz

According to Gazzetta dello Sport, Juventus director Cristiano Giuntoli met with superagent Jorge Mendes at a restaurant on Friday to discuss business, which isn't out of the ordinary during a transfer window.

However, what has piqued the interest of fans and media alike is the fact that the parents of Yildiz also met with Mendes. The Turkish youngster is represented by relatives rather than an agent, so the two parties may have discussed a potential move to Mendes' Gestifute agency.

Or, alternatively, they discussed a possible future transfer. It is no secret that a host of European giants remain keen on the attacker despite his Juventus extension and there is a belief that he could be one to watch in the summer window.

Indeed, in recent times, it has become common practice to hand out 'mandates,' in particular to Mendes, to complete transfers even if the players in question are not actually represented by the Portuguese.

It was the case with Abdukodir Khusanov, who joined Man City, and there have also been rumours that the same could happen with AC Milan superstar Rafael Leao, who is also represented by relatives, like Yildiz.

The Italian outlet names Chelsea, Man City and PSG among the Turkey international's suitors and claims that he could cost as much as €90 million. With Juventus determined to sign Victor Osimhen in the summer, the funds a Yildiz sale could yield would come in handy.