JUVENTUS MUST ACT: JORGE MENDES DEMANDS RECORD PAY FOR KENAN YILDIZ RIGHT NOW
Kenan Yildiz wants to be Juventus' highest earner. Discover the two conditions Jorge Mendes has set for the Turkish star's future.
So, the Kenan Yildiz contract talks have taken an interesting turn.
It's not necessarily bad. And it’s not that shocking because he's become a star super fast. But things are happening, and it feels like Juventus now has to figure out what to do next.
Giovanni Albanese of La Gazzetta dello Sport said on Wednesday that Yildiz basically wants two things in this contract. First, he wants to be at a good club that can actually win trophies soon. Second—and just as important—Yildiz and his agent, Jorge Mendes, want him to be Juventus's highest-paid player when he signs this new deal that Giorgio Chiellini keeps saying is coming.
Yildiz has already signed contract extensions for the last two seasons since Max Allegri brought him up to the senior team at the start of the 2023-24 season. He currently makes around €1.7 million per season.
People can argue about Yildiz asking for so much money—that's fair. People thought he'd ask for something closer to what Jonathan David makes, around €6 million, rather than the super high salary that Dusan Vlahovic gets this year. That's ok.
But the longer it takes Juventus to agree on a new deal, put out a fancy press release, and get Yildiz to pose for photos with his new contract, the longer this whole thing drags on. And it looks like this is one of the biggest deals the club has tried to get done with a current player in a while.
Yildiz isn't going to leave for free like Vlahovic, Federico Chiesa, or Paulo Dybala could have. But it's pretty obvious that Yildiz's people—especially Mendes—want him to get paid like the best player on the team. It shows how quickly Yildiz has become a star that we're even talking about a third contract extension in three seasons. This one will obviously cost a lot more than the other two. Is it too soon to commit over €6 million to a player who isn't even 21 until July? Maybe. But Yildiz is the kind of talent you want to keep happy and under contract for as long as you can.
WEST HAM MOVE FAST FOR AS ROMA'S ARTEM DOVBYK AS NICLAS FULLKRUG JOINS AC MILAN
West Ham United are offered the chance to sign Artem Dovbyk for 22 million as Niclas Fullkrug nears an AC Milan move.
Word on the street, via Gazzetta dello Sport and Sport Witness, is that AS Roma will let Artem Dovbyk go if an offer of at least €22 million comes their way. West Ham United has got their eye on this Ukrainian striker as we head into January, especially since Niclas Fullkrug might be leaving the London Stadium.
It looks like West Ham United could be in the middle of a striker shuffle because they want to bring in a new guy up front in January. Nuno Espirito Santo seems to rate getting a new striker more than filling other spots, mainly because the team's stars haven't been scoring enough this season.
There's talk about Niclas Füllkrug moving to AC Milan. The Hammers seem ready to say goodbye to the pricey German player. Things just haven't clicked with him in their setup, so they're thinking about bringing in someone new. There have been plenty of names floating around for weeks.
Jorgen Strand Larsen from Wolves is also on their radar, but it seems like Artem Dovbyk from AS Roma is becoming a hotter prospect as January approaches. Word is, the Hammers were offered the Ukrainian striker because AS Roma may want to sell him in the winter.
The Italian side could sure use the cash from selling the 28-year-old striker in January so they can put that money into getting new players. West Ham isn't the only team interested; Everton is reportedly in the mix for Dovbyk, too.
So, what's the price tag on Artem Dovbyk?
Dovbyk joined Roma in the summer of 2024 after a great season with Girona in Spain and had a pretty good first year with the Italian giants. Now his role has shrunk, and Roma is willing to end his stay early, asking for €22 million plus add-ons to sell him in January.
West Ham definitely has the cash to pay that much for the 28-year-old Serie A striker. They might take a look at the market before they decide. This Ukrainian player could be a good addition to the team, especially if he gets back to scoring goals at the London Stadium under Espirito Santo and ends up being a better option than Fullkrug.
JUST IN: FABIO CAPELLO OFFICIALLY LABELS SERIE A A FIVE-HORSE RACE FOR 2026
Fabio Capello claims the 2026 Scudetto is wide open with only 4 points separating Inter, Milan, Napoli, Roma, and Juve.
Fabio Capello thinks the Serie A title is wide open, with Juventus, Inter, Milan, Napoli, and Roma all in the running. He also thinks they all need to get better to win the Scudetto in 2026.
The ex-coach for Milan, Roma, Juventus, and England shared his thoughts on each team's chances in an interview.
With Christmas coming, the top of the Serie A table is tight, with only four points separating the top five. Inter's got 33 points, Milan 32, Napoli 31, Roma 30, and Juventus 29—pretty exciting for fans!
Capello said he doesn't see anyone pulling away right now.
When asked if this five-way race could last, Capello said, Why not? No one's running away with it. They all win some, lose some. Milan and Roma were ahead, but now Inter and Napoli are back, and Juve is making a comeback.
So, does he think Juventus can win?
They're not out of it. They could win their next few games and get 12 points, he said.
About Spalletti, Capello noted, He’s found the players that fit. He’s brought back the hunger and push that was missing. And Juve is one of the few Italian teams that can take players on and make the other team scramble. Guys like Yildiz, Conceicao, and Zhegrova often cause problems for opponents.”
Does he think Juventus is a real title contender?
“Juve is right there; they could close the gap, and they still have head-to-head matches to play,” he said.
Talking about Inter, Capello said, Chivu's been playing it safe so far. I think he's seeing that some players aren't in top shape, so he's holding back on trying new things. But they're in first place.
And about Milan, he added, Milan is losing points and letting in goals; that's not like Allegri. They need to be solid on defence. Mistakes have cost them too many points. They play very offensively, but they have problems in the back.
Milan is supposedly trying to sign Niclas Fullkrug from West Ham to strengthen their attack. Does Capello think that's a good move in January?
That's a good question. It’s hard to play without a main striker. Fullkrug is an old-school striker, so the club must have talked about who would fit best. But it's not just about strikers; they're not playing in Europe and need to use that to their advantage.”
Capello agrees with many fans that Roma needs more attack to be considered a serious title contender: Without a main striker, Gasperini has also had lots of issues, he said.
It's tough. Against Juventus, there was no one up front to aim for. Roma played better in the first half, but they kept trying to attack through the middle when Juve had just put Bremer back in.
About the attackers Roma might sign this winter, Capello said, I really like Zirkzee; he knows how to play with his back to the goal and moves well. Raspadori, on the other hand, is more of a second striker. He fits in okay; he knows how to score, but he's not a main striker.
Lastly, on Napoli, fresh from their Supercoppa Italiana win in Saudi Arabia on Monday, Capello said, Napoli has great players and a winning coach in Conte.
“Now Lukaku and some of the injured guys are back, and winning the Supercoppa will be huge for the team's confidence. It’s a mental boost that could help them come back strong in the league.”