Kenan Yıldız has had an interesting route to the top of soccer. He was born in Germany and played for Bayern Munich's academy before breaking through at Juventus. The forward has also gone on to represent Turkey at the international level.
Yıldız is a versatile option for Juve, as he can play on either wing, at attacking midfield, or as a striker. This season, he has scored three times with four assists in 14 games in all competitions.
Yıldız only signed a contract extension with the Old Lady last year until 2029. However, the 20-year-old is in demand, and a new deal was on the cards. Unfortunately for the Serie A side, CaughtOffside has reported that "the player’s representatives are demanding a salary of around €6 million per year, a figure that Juventus consider too high given their current financial strategy and wage structure."
The outlet also revealed that "Real Madrid, Arsenal, and Chelsea, are now positioning themselves for a potential bidding war."
Would Real Madrid be the best option for Kenan Yıldız?
Real Madrid is arguably the biggest club in the world, so it is a dream for almost every player to represent them. What Yıldız will know is that game time may be limited with Los Blancos, as their current forward line includes Kylian Mbappé, Jude Bellingham, and Vinícius Júnior.
However, being so versatile, Yıldız might be able to find a role on Xabi Alonso's side. He would also be able to play alongside his international teammate Arda Güler at the club.
Arsenal have built themselves a very strong squad recently, but still lack a backup to striker Viktor Gyökeres. The Gunners are currently top of the Premier League, so Yıldız could contribute to a title-winning side with Gyökeres already suffering injury problems this campaign.
Chelsea also has a big roster, where Yıldız would face fierce competition for a starting role. João Pedro is currently their first-choice center-forward, with Liam Delap missing games through injury and suspension this season. Yıldız might be able to be an alternative option to these two strikers. Enzo Maresca's side is also a dark horse for the Premier League this season.
Whilst Yıldız is often used through the middle for Juve, he plays as a left winger for Turkey. He has helped them make it to the World Cup playoff place in Group E behind the former champions, Spain. They face the 2010 World Cup winners tonight at the Estadio de La Cartuja in Seville.