Arsenal target Juventus star Yildiz after Vinicius Jr opts to stay at Real Madrid

Arsenal are weighing up a move for Juventus winger Kenan Yildiz this summer as Mikel Arteta looks to strengthen his left-sided attack ahead of campaigns in both the Premier League and Champions League. The 20-year-old Turkish international has risen to the top of the club’s shortlist after Vinicius Jr confirmed he would remain at Real Madrid, ending what had been Arsenal’s primary pursuit.

Arteta has long identified the left flank as a priority area for improvement, and Yildiz’s age — he turns 21 this summer — appeals to the Gunners’ hierarchy as a return to signing players with room to develop. That marks a slight change in approach after the recent acquisitions of Ezri Konsa and Bruno Guimaraes, both of whom were signed in their prime years.

Juventus, however, are expected to drive a hard bargain. The Italian club regard Yildiz as one of their most exciting emerging talents and would demand in excess of £60m. Any deal would also need to navigate significant fan sentiment in Turin. One potential solution that has been discussed internally is a part-exchange involving Gabriel Martinelli moving to Juventus, though that arrangement would require substantial negotiation from both sides.

Arsenal had also considered a move for Bournemouth’s Jan Kroupi, but the midfielder’s injury has pushed that option back to January at the earliest. The club are also monitoring the situation around Atletico Madrid’s Julian Alvarez, who had been Arsenal’s primary target after Vinicius. Interest cooled when it became clear Alvarez preferred a move to Barcelona, but with Atletico currently refusing to negotiate with their La Liga rivals, a window of opportunity could yet emerge before the transfer deadline.

The Arsenal hierarchy are also keen to move players on before committing to further incomings, adding another layer of complexity to what remains a fluid summer window. As with several of their other targets, the club have not ruled out revisiting the Yildiz pursuit in January or next summer if a deal cannot be structured to their satisfaction now.