Luciano Spalletti Confirms Kenan Yildiz Is Not for Sale

Luciano Spalletti has drawn a thick line through Kenan Yildiz’s name on the transfer market – and underlined it twice.

Speaking to the Italian media, the Juventus manager made it clear he has no interest in listening to offers for the winger, despite strong links with Arsenal.

“I am perfectly relaxed, because dealing with Yildiz is easy for me,” Spalletti said. “They can offer whatever they like, I want Yildiz here and will always put him on the field.

“His future is already important, staying at Juventus, not because there are other clubs who want to spend €100m for him.”

Those comments echo what was reported by David Ornstein for NBC Sports ahead of Arsenal’s Premier League opener: Juventus want Yildiz to stay, and that stance is hardening as the window ticks towards its close.

Arsenal’s dream target meets a brick wall

On the other side of the story sits Mikel Arteta. Sacha Tavolieri reported in recent days that Yildiz is a dream winger signing for the Arsenal manager this summer, with the club having decided to make a move for the 21-year-old.

Arteta has, according to those reports, been pushing the pursuit for some time. Arsenal are said to be ready to “pull out all the stops” to try to land the Turkish international, viewing him as a major attacking addition.

The problem? Every road leads back to the same answer in Turin.

Juventus have consistently briefed that Yildiz is not for sale. Club general manager Damien Comolli has gone even stronger, labelling the winger “untouchable” and “at the centre of our project”.

Comolli has not denied Arsenal’s interest. In fact, he confirmed it – but followed up with the kind of line that tends to shut down negotiations.

They would not sell, he said, “even if they offered €100m”.

Arsenal wait for an opening

For now, Arsenal hover. James McNicholas reported for The Athletic that the club are monitoring the market, waiting to see if circumstances change around either Yildiz or Julian Alvarez of Atletico Madrid.

It is a classic late-window watch: stay close, keep the lines of communication open, and hope that pressure, opportunity or internal reshuffles make an “untouchable” player suddenly touchable.

Juventus, though, are giving no hint of a crack in their position as the final week or so of the window approaches. Publicly, at least, the message is unwavering: Yildiz stays, the project is built around him, and no bid – not even one touching nine figures – will change that.

If Arsenal want their dream winger, they may have to wake up to a different target.