Kenan Yildiz: Former Bayern talent shines at Juventus - potential Pogba's successor?

Kenan Yildiz: Former Bayern talent shines at Juventus - Pogba's successor?

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Ultimately, Bayern Munich were unable to keep top talent Kenan Yildiz. A long list of top clubs like Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona, and Juventus wanted the 17-year-old, whose contract was expiring in Munich. “Yildiz is a young and talented player, and we would have liked to keep him,” Bayern director of sport Hasan Salihamidzic said in a press release. “But we were unable and unwilling to fulfill his financial demands. Juventus had no such issues and signed him until 2025. The Bianconeri were not only able to fulfill his financial demands but also offered the right sporting project.

“Juve are banking on him,” Transfermarkt Turkey editor Sinan Yener said. And Yildiz’s performances underline that he is happy in Turin. The attacking midfielder has scored nine goals and five assists in 17 games for Juventus’ U19. A great start that has already been recognized by the Italian press. Turin’s newspaper Tuttosport described Yildiz as Paul Pogba’s success, who was signed from United’s academy in 2012 on a free transfer. “Pogba aside, Federico Chiesa and Ángel Di Maria are Yildiz’s role models,” Yener said. “His movements on the pitch most closely match those of the Brazilian Kaká. In Germany, he was often compared to Mesut Özil. But he is perhaps more trigger-happy in front of goal.”

It is, therefore, not surprising that Yildiz was one of the 60 players nominated for the 2022 Golden Boy Award, which is annually handed out to the most promising U21 player in the world. “He is a typical playmaker; he has developed well physically and has worked on his fitness; he is a player who likes to play vertically with an aim to get the ball quickly into the box,” Yener said. “He perhaps needs to become a bit calmer on the ball,” Yener added when asked about the player’s weaknesses.

Yildiz started playing as a five-year-old for SV Sallern Regensburg, and after just one year, he joined the academy of the then-third-division side SSV Jahn. There he was quickly discovered by Bayern, where he played for ten years. “He was considered one of the biggest talents in Munich,” Yener said. “Losing him on a free transfer really hurt the club.”

Internationally, Yildiz represents Turkey and already made his debut for the U21. Previously, the attacking midfielder missed the U17 European Championship last May with a ligament injury. “Germany, too, have him on the radar, but the Turkish football federation will go all in for the player,” Yener said. “It won’t be much longer until he manages to be called up to the senior national team.” Juve fans have also been demanding that Yildiz should receive a chance with the first team and have celebrated the free transfer as a coup on the transfer market.

From December 1 to 24, we introduce new players from different countries born in 2005. Area managers, users, and data scouts come into play as experts throughout the series. You can follow all those players by adding them to your TM watchlist.