Arsenal battling Real Madrid for Mikel Arteta's dream target who 'makes football shine'

Juventus superstar Kenan Yildiz is widely regarded as Mikel Arteta's top Arsenal target, and an update has emerged in their pursuit of the forward.

In a summer when the Gunners spent almost £200million on five new players, Arteta arguably didn't sign the world-class forward he desperately craved.

Arsenal attempted ambitious moves for the likes of Vinicius Junior, Lautaro Martinez and Julian Alvarez, but ultimately failed, and are now looking to resolve that area of their squad in January.

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Juventus want at least £84m for Arsenal and Real Madrid target Kenan Yildiz

Arteta's priority in the next window is a left-sided winger to challenge Christos Tzolis.

Tzolis has hit the ground running since moving to the Emirates Stadium from Club Brugge, assisting on his Premier League debut against Coventry City in August.

But Arsenal's chase for a world-class winger in the summer suggested they wanted someone to rival the 24-year-old, and Yildiz is potentially that player.

Arteta sees Yildiz as his dream signing, though his long-term contract and Juventus's valuation have made a deal difficult to complete.

According to Corriere dello Sport, the Italian giants want at least €100million (£84.7million) to even consider selling the 21-year-old, and competition for his signature complicates matters.

Real Madrid are long-term admirers of the Turkish superstar, and the report claims that they may 'return' for him next June.

Yildiz is viewed in the same bracket as Manchester City's Erling Haaland when considering their next big-money signing, and unlike Arsenal - who are typically reluctant to pay over the odds for a player - money is the least of Real's 'concerns'.

Widely regarded as one of the best young wingers in Europe, Yildiz has 32 goal involvements in 99 Serie A appearances, though he will have to wait to add to that total.

The fleet-footed winger underwent surgery after fracturing his metatarsal against Frosinone in August and is expected to return to action next month.

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Luciano Spalletti thinks Kenan Yildiz 'makes football shine'

When fully fit, Yildiz combines elite-level dribbling and searing pace that can destroy defences.

Capable of playing as a left winger or number 10, the 31-cap Turkish international thrives in tight spaces and is at his most dangerous when he's cutting inside on his right foot.

Juventus boss Luciano Spalletti paid his winger the ultimate compliment by comparing him to Paris Saint-Germain superstar Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, highlighting their shared attacking flair and sheer unpredictability.

"Yildiz makes football shine. His every move is ingenious and breaks the system.

"When he starts, even he doesn't necessarily have a plan of what he'll do next. Sometimes, in training, I see the defenders predict his movement, and they still can't stop him. He has the madness of invention. For me, he is comparable to Kvaratskhelia."

Expanding on that assessment, the manager added: "He needs to play a bit more, but I see similarities in the unpredictability, the way he stays outside of the rules and timing you expect in football. He's a lovely guy, the boy next door type, but also a leader – one that doesn't need to talk much."

Yildiz would be a world-class addition for any top European club, and Bayern Munich are also interested in the Juve star.