-
Reliable transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano has confirmed there is now ‘no chance’ of Arsenal completing a deadline-day move for Juventus winger Kenan Yildiz, despite the Gunners having long admired the Turkish international. Romano explained that Juventus made their unwillingness to sell clear as far back as May, and Arsenal have been fully aware of that stance for months already.
-
Compounding matters further for Arsenal, Yildiz has now picked up an injury that is set to keep him sidelined for an extended period, effectively ruling out any prospect of a move materialising before the summer transfer window slams shut in the coming days. Mikel Arteta may now have to wait until January to revisit any interest.
-
With the Yildiz route closed off, attention has shifted toward Atletico Madrid forward Julian Alvarez, who remains Arteta’s top target for the forward areas of his squad. However, the Argentine has made his own preference to join Barcelona clear, leaving Arsenal in a holding pattern as they wait for a signal of genuine interest from his camp.
-
Arsenal have already added Christos Tzolis from Club Brugge this summer, and the Greek international has made an immediate impact, providing assists in both his Community Shield outing against Manchester City and his Premier League debut in a win over Coventry. Despite that encouraging start, the club still wants to bring in reinforcements before the deadline passes.
August 25, (THEWILL) — Arsenal’s pursuit of Kenan Yildiz has officially hit a dead end, according to transfer insider Fabrizio Romano, who says there is now “no chance” of a deal getting done before the summer window closes.
The Gunners have long been admirers of the Juventus winger, but Romano was blunt about where things actually stand. “Do Arsenal like Kenan Yildiz? Of course they do. Who doesn’t like Kenan Yildiz?” he said on his YouTube channel.
“But this is not news from today, yesterday, or this week. This is a story from April, May, June. Arsenal have always appreciated Kenan Yildiz.”
The issue, Romano explained, has never really been about Arsenal’s interest it’s been about Juventus’s refusal to sell. “Arsenal knew that Juventus aren’t selling the player. That’s it. End of the story, since May. So no chance.”
Making matters worse, Yildiz has since picked up an injury that will keep him out for a period of time, effectively closing the door on any late twist. “Forget about Kenan Yildiz,” Romano added.
It leaves Mikel Arteta needing to find an alternative route into the forward positions he’s been targeting all summer, having already missed out on both Morgan Rogers and Vinicius Junior earlier in the window.
There had even been talk, via TEAMtalk, of Arsenal structuring a potential swap deal involving Gabriel Martinelli heading to Turin as makeweight, with Juventus said to be seeking around £50 million for Yildiz on top of any player exchange.
Martinelli, meanwhile, looks increasingly likely to leave Arsenal regardless, with Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal reportedly in advanced talks over a move for the Brazilian.
With Yildiz off the table, focus turns more sharply to Julian Alvarez, who remains Arteta’s number one target up front. The complication is that the Argentine’s own preference points elsewhere: he wants to join Barcelona.
According to ESPN, Arsenal are essentially waiting on the sidelines for any sign from Alvarez or his representatives that he’d be open to a move to north London instead.
Atletico Madrid have made their position equally clear, ruling out any sale to Barcelona and setting a price tag of around €150 million (roughly £128 million) for other suitors.
READ ALSO:
Alvarez’s situation has grown tense in Spain, with the forward booed by Atletico’s own supporters upon his return to the Wanda Metropolitano following international duty.
Spanish outlet AS reported over the weekend that he “might settle for a return to the Premier League,” a notable shift from his previously stated reluctance.
His teammates have rallied around him publicly amid the backlash. “I think we all need to stay united. Julian Alvarez is with us, and as long as he’s with us, we’re going to support him,” said Atletico boss Diego Simeone. “It’s not a comfortable situation for anyone. Hopefully it gets resolved, and we can stay united throughout the whole season.”
For now, Arsenal have at least found an early bright spot in Christos Tzolis, who arrived from Club Brugge and has hit the ground running, setting up goals in both the Community Shield win over Manchester City and his Premier League bow against Coventry.
Whether that’s enough to satisfy Arteta’s ambitions before the deadline remains to be seen.
Olumide Atiba is a sports journalist with THEWILL, known for his keen news sense and compelling storytelling. He has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, well-structured reports that resonate with readers, with a strong focus on football coverage
