There is a quiet hum of excitement creeping through the corridors of the Emirates these days, and the latest whisper out of Turin has only amplified i...
There is a quiet hum of excitement creeping through the corridors of the Emirates these days, and the latest whisper out of Turin has only amplified it. GoalZaza has learned that Arsenal have made a formal enquiry for Juventus wonderkid Kenan Yildiz, a 21 year old Turkish international who has been pulling defenders apart in Serie A with the kind of elegance that draws lazy but not unwarranted comparisons to Alessandro Del Piero and Michael Laudrup. It is a name that should make supporters sit up and pay attention because this is not your run of the mill target. This is a player built from a different mould.Yildiz has registered an extraordinary 21 goal contributions this season, playing primarily from the left flank but drifting inside with a subtlety that leaves full backs chasing shadows. He does not just beat a man with pace, he beats him with intelligence, with a drop of the shoulder and a shift in weight that recalls the greats. For a club that has lacked genuine incisiveness in wide areas during tight matches, particularly against those dreaded low blocks, the arrival of a player who can unpick a lock with a single pass or a curling finish is not just desirable. It is essential.What makes this enquiry particularly intriguing is the tactical flexibility Yildiz would offer. Mikel Arteta has long craved options that allow his team to transition from patient possession to sudden, vertical attacks. Yildiz thrives in transitional play. He carries the ball with his head up, eyeing the run of a centre forward or the overlapping full back. He is not a winger in the traditional sense of hugging the touchline and whipping crosses into the mixer. He is a creator, a conductor, a player who sees pictures two or three moves ahead of everyone else. That is a rare commodity in the modern game.Of course, Juventus are not going to let him go without a fight. They see him as part of their future project, the jewel in a rebuilding crown. But Arsenal have shown they are willing to pay for the right character, the right talent. And if there is one thing this side has missed in recent seasons, it is that extra spark of individual brilliance from out wide. Gabriel Martinelli has dipped in form, Leandro Trossard is dependable but not a game changer, and Bukayo Saka carries a burden that is becoming unsustainable. Yildiz could offer relief, competition, and eventually, a solution.There is a growing feeling that Arsenal are edging closer to something special, that the pieces of a title winning puzzle are almost all in place. A left winger with the vision of Laudrup and the swagger of Del Piero might just be the final brushstroke. The question now is whether the board have the nerve to push this through before the window heats up and the price tag balloons. From where I am sitting, this is the kind of enquiry that separates ambition from fantasy. And Arsenal look very serious indeed.
