How Chelsea Missed Out on Juventus’ Rising Star Kenan Yildiz

Chelsea fans may be wondering what could have been after learning that their club failed to sign one of the most promising young talents in Europe. Kenan Yildiz, an 18-year-old attacker who plays for Juventus, was reportedly on the radar of the Blues and several other top teams. However, according to Italian newspaper La Gazzetta della Sport, Juventus rejected all the offers and decided to keep the Turkish international.

Who is Kenan Yildiz and why is he so sought-after?

Kenan Yildiz is a versatile forward who can play as a second striker, a winger, or an attacking midfielder. He was born in Germany to a Turkish father and a German mother and started his football career at the youth academies of Sallern Regensburg and Jahn Regensburg. He then joined Bayern Munich in 2012, where he spent 10 years and became a key player for their U19 team. In 2022, he moved to Juventus as a free agent, after Bayern failed to renew his contract.

Since then, he has impressed both the Juventus Next Gen team and the first team, scoring three goals and providing two assists in 23 appearances in all competitions. He has also made his debut for the Turkey senior national team, scoring one goal in three caps.

Yildiz is known for his pace, dribbling, vision, and finishing skills. He has been compared to Juventus legend Alessandro Del Piero by some fans and pundits, who see him as the future of the club. Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri is also a big fan of Yildiz and has given him several opportunities to play alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and Paulo Dybala.

Why did Chelsea want to sign him and why did Juventus reject their offer?

Chelsea have been looking for a long-term successor to Olivier Giroud, who left the club in 2022. They have also been struggling with injuries and inconsistency from their current attackers, such as Armando broja, Nicolas jackson, and christopher nkunku. Therefore, they were interested in adding a young and talented forward like Yildiz to their squad.

However, Juventus were not willing to let go of their prized asset, who they see as a potential star for the next decade. La Gazzetta della Sport reported that Juventus turned down offers from Chelsea, Liverpool, Borussia Dortmund, and RB Leipzig, who all valued Yildiz at around £30-£34m. Juventus believe that Yildiz is worth much more, and that he will only improve under their guidance.

Will Chelsea try again to sign Yildiz in the future?

It is unclear whether Chelsea will make another attempt to sign Yildiz in the next transfer window, or whether they will look for other options. Yildiz may also prefer to stay at Juventus, where he is happy and has a contract until 2027. However, if he continues to impress with his performances, he may attract even more attention from other clubs, and Juventus may face a difficult decision to keep him or cash in on him.

Conclusion

Kenan Yildiz is one of the hottest prospects in European football, and Chelsea were among the clubs that tried to sign him. However, Juventus rejected their offer and kept the young forward, who they consider as their future star. Chelsea may have missed out on a great opportunity, but they may still have a chance to sign him in the future, if they are willing to pay a higher price and convince him to join them.