Gunners' Poaching Plan Thwarted! Spalletti Calmly States: Yildiz Absolutely Not Leaving This Summer

Facing Arsenal's strong interest in Turkish winger Kenan Yildiz, Juventus manager Luciano Spalletti appeared remarkably composed, directly ruling out any potential transfer and emphasizing that the 21-year-old attacker will stay in Turin this season.

In recent weeks, Premier League champions Arsenal have been consistently linked with Yildiz, with speculation that he could be a replacement for Brazilian international Gabriel Martinelli, whose future at the Gunners is uncertain. But Spalletti seems to have already shut all transfer windows.

"I am not at all bothered by this, because the player's name is Yildiz," Spalletti said in a press conference on Saturday. "In my view, it's simple: they can make any offer, but I want to see Yildiz on the pitch next season. He is a mature young man, suitable for in-depth conversations, and he knows he must not rush things or accelerate any process. His future at Juventus is already very important."

Yildiz joined Juventus from Bayern Munich's youth system in 2022, with a contract until the summer of 2030. Last season, he made 36 appearances in Serie A, scoring 10 goals and providing 6 assists, putting in impressive performances.

"The issue is not that someone has offered €100 million, or that there is a club with deep pockets now," Spalletti added. "He is already at a club willing to pay €100 million for him. Therefore, we are all very calm."

Spalletti, who previously coached the Italian national team and Napoli, was appointed Juventus head coach in October, initially on a contract until the end of the season. He is now preparing for his first full season in charge of the Bianconeri. Juventus finished sixth in Serie A last season with 69 points, 18 points behind champions Inter Milan. They will begin their new Serie A campaign at home against Frosinone on Sunday. Meanwhile, Arsenal started their Premier League title defense with a 3-0 victory over Coventry City on Friday.