United’s pursuit of “insane” 20-yo wizard triggers big-money offer to keep him away from Old Trafford – report

Manchester United are laying down succession plans for Bruno Fernandes, who is already on the wrong side of 30. The Portuguese Magnifico was heavily linked with an exit last summer, and his future remains up in the air following Ruben Amorim’s abrupt departure earlier this month. Fernandes has been one of the Red Devils’ best players since arriving from Sporting in January 2020. The 31 year old is the creative fulcrum of the team at the moment, and also wears the armband. The Portuguese has registered 103 goals and 95 assists from 310 games for United to date, and is already an Old Trafford legend. However, the Red Devils are preparing for the future, and recent reports suggest that they have identified Juventus’ Kenan Yildiz as the right candidate to fill Fernandes’ shoes. Serie A’s new star Yildiz spent much of his formative years at Bayern Munich before joining Juventus’ youth ranks in 2022. He broke into the Bianconeri’s first team the following year and has not looked back since. This season, the 20 year old has registered eight goals and eight assists in 26 appearances across competitions for the Italian giants, all but two of which have been starts. Kenan Yildiz Stats: 2025/26 Season CompetitionAppearancesGoalsAssistsYellow CardsRed CardsMinutes Played Serie A1975——1,582′ UEFA Champions League613——457′ Italy Cup1————84′ Total2688——2,123′ Source: Transfermarkt. The Turkey international has already displayed qualities that make him the ideal replacement for Fernandes at Old Trafford. Yildiz is a natural playmaker with an eye for the pass, knows his way to goal, and is capable of operating in various roles in midfield and attack. Already one of the hottest properties in Serie A, the youngster is under contract in Turin until 2029, so prising him away will not be a walk in the park. A fresh update on the player’s future has now emerged which could put a dent in the Red Devils’ plans. Juventus confident of renewal According to TEAMtalk, Kenan Yildiz is unlikely to leave Juventus this month. The report states: “Juventus sources are playing down the possibility of Kenan Yildiz making a surprise move to the Premier League this month, despite ongoing uncertainty surrounding his contract situation.” Yildiz’s future has been the talk of the town for a while, especially since his contract renewal was supposed to be completed by the end of last year. The situation has prompted interest from several clubs in the Premier League, including United, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur, but sources insist the delay is nothing unusual. “They insist there is no major issue in negotiations and that the delay in the €100m (£87m, $114m) rated star should not be interpreted as a sign the player is available.” “We understand the situation is viewed internally as a straightforward delay, with the expectation that terms will still be finalised – even if Yildiz does not formally sign a new contract until after the January transfer window.” Final Thoughts Replacing Bruno Fernandes will neither be easy nor cheap, so it is important that United lay down succession plans soon. While Yildiz could have been a superb choice for the role, the finances involved certainly raise questions about the possibility of a deal this year. The Red Devils are prioritising a new central midfielder this summer, and it is unclear if they will have the resources available to make a move for the Turkey international. Featured image Valerio Pennicino via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Deepungsu Pandit Deepungsu has been a Manchester United fan since 2000. In his playing days, he was an attacking midfielder with a proclivity for the back heel. Right now, however, he prefers to operate as a regista. Deepungsu has been writing about the Red Devils, Football, and other things since 2009. He has worked for over seven years with Sportskeeda, writing football reviews, opinions and news articles. Deepungsu also maintains a blog, The Thinking Me, where he writes about life and things that interest him. His favourite Manchester United player is Paul Scholes.