Barcelona reportedly battling Chelsea, Arsenal for $87 million Serie A star

A young Serie A player is reportedly being closely tracked by clubs like Barcelona, Chelsea, and Arsenal.

Despite being only halfway through the 2025–26 season, Europe’s top clubs are already planning their moves for next year. Among them are sides like Barcelona, Chelsea, and Arsenal, who are reportedly interested in signing a Serie A star.

According to reports from La Gazzetta dello Sport and Tuttosport, Kenan Yildiz is being monitored as a potential signing by more than one top European club, thanks to his impressive performances with Juventus in the Italian league.

At just 20 years old, the young forward — born in Germany and representing Turkey — has caught attention with the level he shows on the pitch despite his age. That form earned him his professional debut with the Italian side at 18 in 2023, and since then, his importance to the team has only grown.

So far, Yildiz has made 92 appearances and scored 18 goals for Juventus across Serie A, the Coppa Italia, and UEFA competitions. In the same year he made his club debut, he also broke into the international scene, and now has 25 caps and five goals with Turkey.

The race for Yildiz

Italian media claim Chelsea are currently the most determined club in the race to sign Yildiz. The Blues “have not given up after a summer rejection of a €67 million offer, and Arsenal are preparing,” La Gazzetta dello Sport reports.

Amid this financial battle, Juventus are reportedly planning to offer the forward a significant pay raise. He is currently one of the lowest-paid players in the squad, with a salary of approximately $1.9 million per year, but Tuttosport notes that the Italian side may be ready to offer him more than $10 million to convince him to stay.

In contrast, Barcelona appear to be taking a very different approach. Instead of relying on large sums of money, the Blaugrana could turn to a more symbolic strategy: “Barcelona trust in the appeal of the Blaugrana shirt once worn by Leo Messi,” La Gazzetta dello Sport states.

How much is Yildiz worth?

These rumors surrounding the Turkish forward come alongside news that will likely increase interest in him even further. Yildiz was named among the 25 finalists for the 2025 Golden Boy award, the annual prize presented by Tuttosport to Europe’s top player under 21.

His performances for both club and country, combined with growing recognition from media and fans, are causing Kenan Yildiz’s market value to rise rapidly. Reports indicate Chelsea offered nearly $78 million for him a few months ago, and now the specialized website Transfermarkt values the forward at €75 million — roughly $87 million.