Arsenal and Liverpool wonderkid target set for stunning transfer U-turn

Tom Weber

• Updated: 5 Jan 2024 09:38 GMT
• 3 min read

Kenan Yildiz looks increasingly likely to stay at Juventus despite demanding a transfer last month.

The youngster - who burst onto the scene with a stunning goal for Turkey against the country of his birth, Germany, late last year - was said to be frustrated with his lack of senior minutes at Juventus. Despite starring for Turkey, game time at club level was not forthcoming.

The player reportedly lodged a complaint and began seriously considering his future despite only penning a new deal in August. In fact, there was talk of a potential permanent exit, something Juventus were desperately trying to avoid as Yildiz is regarded as one of Europe's brightest talents.

At last, the Bianconeri have found a quite simple solution to the problem: playing him. Coach Max Allegri has begun trusting the 18-year-old in recent games and it has paid off. Now, the situation regarding a transfer has changed.

Yildiz to stay

According to Sky Germany's Florian Plettenberg, Juventus have informed Yildiz that they will not sanction his departure this month. Given that he has been playing, the player will likely be fine with this stance.

Previously, Liverpool and Arsenal were rumoured to be interested in the teenager. Gunners sporting director Edu is a long-term admirer of him, while his Reds counterpart Jorg Schmadtke already had Yildiz on his radar when he was still in Bayern's academy.

Fabrizio Romano has corroborated that multiple teams were keen to pounce on his uncertain situation. In fact, even before he extended his contract in the summer, there was high-profile interest in his services and 'several clubs' approached him. His new deal runs until 2027.

Yildiz has played four games since December 15, scoring twice in his last three outings. On Thursday, he netted against Salernitana in the Old Lady's 6-1 Coppa Italia rout.