Sensational €90m Chelsea, Liverpool signing battle teed up by ‘stalled’ contract talks

Chelsea and Liverpool have been given a lift in their pursuit of Kenan Yildiz as contract talks between the star and Juventus are not going well, it has been revealed.

Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport report that ‘alarm bells are ringing’ at Juve as negotiations to improve Yildiz’s deal have ‘stalled’. Both parties are ‘reconsidering’ their stances as they have failed to reach an agreement over wages.

Yildiz is currently one of the lowest earners in the Juve squad, despite being one of the most exciting players in all of Italy.

Kenan Yildiz: The story so far

• Born in Regensburg, Germany, and spent 10 years in the Bayern Munich academy
• Joined Juve’s youth setup in July 2022 and made his first-team debut in August 2023
• Won the Golden Boy Web Award in December 2024

The forward – who can operate as a left winger or second striker – wants a significant pay rise to reflect his status as arguably Juve’s best player.

The Bianconeri, though, are unwilling to meet his demands at this stage. This has ‘put the deal in jeopardy’ and ‘raised the eyebrows of Europe’s top clubs’.

Yildiz’s main suitors in the Premier League are Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal. Further afield, Real Madrid are keeping tabs on the situation.

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Chelsea have already sent star an offer

We revealed on October 30 that Chelsea are leading the race for Yildiz, having sent his camp a ‘very exciting proposal’.

Chelsea failed with a €70million (£62m / $81m) offer for the Turkish international in the summer but remain undeterred and are still chasing him.

Juve want at least €90m (£79m / $104m) before letting their prized asset depart.

We reported a week ago that Liverpool and Arsenal have joined Chelsea in tracking Yildiz. Sources told us that Juve were planning a new round of contract talks with the player, though it seems they have not gone well.

Gazzetta is the biggest and most recognisable sports newspaper in Italy. As such, it is likely that discussions between Juve and Yildiz’s camp have indeed broken down in recent days.

Where might Yildiz fit in?

The likes of Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal already have top attackers in their respective squads, but room could be made for Yildiz in England.

The 20-year-old could rival Alejandro Garnacho and Jamie Gittens for a spot on the left wing at Chelsea. When fit, Cole Palmer has the central attacking midfield position locked down.

There has been speculation Liverpool may regret swooping for Florian Wirtz, with the German having underperformed so far. Yildiz could challenge him for the No 10 role, or perhaps replace Cody Gakpo on the left.

Arsenal do need a new left winger to replace Gabriel Martinelli, so Yildiz could fit the bill. Centrally, Mikel Arteta can already rely on Martin Odegaard and Eberechi Eze as his playmakers.

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Meanwhile, John Terry has hailed a Blues forward who looks ‘absolutely petrifying’ to play against.

Interestingly, Yildiz is not the only left winger shining in Serie A that Chelsea have been linked with.

His price tag has been revealed, though Arsenal are ahead of Enzo Maresca’s side in the race.