Chelsea step up talks for Man Utd & Liverpool target | OneFootball

Chelsea have reportedly "intensified" their transfer interest in Juventus forward Kenan Yildiz, who is also thought to be of interest to Manchester United and Liverpool.

The German-born Turkey international caught the eye of many wider admirers with his performances at Euro 2024. Yildiz only made his senior debut for Juventus at the start of last season, showing flashes of his evident talent before blossoming into a regular fixture of the starting XI this term.

Despite Yildiz's best efforts, Juve are enduring an underwhelming campaign which could see the Old Lady miss out on Champions League qualification. That would be a financially destructive scenario, although recent reports from Italy have suggested owner-investment won't activley force player sales.

The versatile forward has been ambitiously priced at €90m (£76.9m) - which hasn't put off Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea, all of whom are said to be interested in the 19-year-old.

United have been credited with a long-term pursuit of Yildiz, but it is Chelsea who have taken the lead in negotiations, according to Foot Mercato. The Blues are said to have made "initial contacts" and are pushing for a conclusion at some point this summer. However, no official offer has yet been made.

Chelsea have been proactive ahead of this summer's window, sealing a deal for Sporting CP midfielder Dario Essugo and the future arrival of Geovany Quenda from the Lisbon outfit. Enzo Maresca is widely expected to be chasing after a central striker and right-footed winger this summer - Yildiz fits the latter brief, even if he has been more effective in an attacking midfield role under Igor Tudor as of late.

Juventus, for their part, are keen on keeping this season's second-top scorer. FM goes so far as to claim that the Serie A outfit are prepared to hand Yildiz a wage bump to persuade him to stay in Turin.

There are several uncertainties to consider before Yildiz's future can be clarified. Following the mid-season dismissal of Thiago Motta, Tudor was thrust into the dugout on a short-term contract which expires at the end of the season. The former player will be in charge for this summer's Club World Cup, but Juve's participation in the competition only complicates matters further.