'I never felt their trust' - Kenan Yildiz explains why leaving Bayern Munich was 'easy' as Juventus star hits out at his former team

The German-born attacking midfielder first joined Bayern in 2012 when he was just seven years old and went on to consistently impress through the age groups, even captaining the Under 17 side. Nevertheless, concerns over his pathway to the senior team and the club's delay in offering a concrete professional contract eventually led to his departure as a free agent in 2022, the 20-year-old has now revealed.

Since trading Bayern for Juventus in the summer of 2022, Yildiz has undergone impressive development, netting 18 goals in 90 Serie A appearances. These performances have made him the face of the new Juventus era and a superstar for the Turkish national team.

Following his departure from Munich, rumours surfaced that excessive financial demands on his part prevented a contract extension. However, in an extensive interview with Corriere dello Sport, Yildiz vehemently contradicted these claims: "I never played for money, but to improve myself. Money was always a secondary matter for me. My family takes care of that part," he said.

"I have been here for four years, and I have always been shown great trust, something that I lacked at Bayern. I was there for eleven years and never felt their trust; there was always someone better than me. That's why it was easy for me, in fact, it was a given, to leave."

Yildiz's rise to stardom in Serie A sparked fears of significant transfer bids from teams in the Premier League and La Liga. However, the 20-year-old recently opted to sign a new contract with the Bianconeri, tying him to the club until 2030.

"I am very confident that we will achieve great things in the future," he said at the time. “I love Juventus because since I’ve been here I have always felt we would achieve great things together. I’ve always been sure that the fans and my family are behind me.”

Yildiz is currently Juventus' top scorer in Serie A with nine goals from 28 appearances, while he also tops the assist chart with six. Despite his fine form, the Turin side are fifth in the Italian top-flight, a massive 15 points behind leaders Inter. They are, however, still in the race for a place in next season's Champions League.