A major blow has struck Juventus at a crucial stage of the season. According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Kenan Yildiz is expected to undergo surgery and could be sidelined for at least three months, potentially ruling him out for September, October and at least half of November.
The Turkish No. 10 is expected to undergo surgery in the coming days to resolve the serious foot injury he suffered during Juventus’ opening Serie A away match against Frosinone.
Medical examinations have delivered a worrying verdict: Yildiz is suspected of having suffered a fracture to the fifth metatarsal of his left foot, with surgery now considered virtually unavoidable.
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The latest consultations have cleared up the remaining doubts, leaving Juventus’ medical and coaching staff to prepare the next steps.
The priority will be to make an immediate decision and begin Yildiz’s rehabilitation as soon as possible.
Three months without their main attacking playmaker would represent a huge setback for Juventus, particularly with the season already underway.
Juventus Face Huge Yildiz Void
Yildiz could miss at least 10 Serie A matches, against Parma, Milan, Sassuolo, Atalanta, Cagliari, Lazio, Lecce, Genoa, Napoli and Fiorentina, as well as four Europa League fixtures.
The exact recovery timeline will only become clear after the operation. As La Gazzetta dello Sport also highlights, Juventus’ numbers drop significantly when Yildiz is absent.
The average points haul falls from 1.74 to 1, while goals scored decrease from 1.66 to 1.33 and goals conceded rise sharply from 1.02 to 2 per game.
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His absence therefore creates both a tactical and technical void that Luciano Spalletti must solve, with the final week of the transfer window now taking on even greater importance.
Giovanni Carnevali will have to assess whether the current squad is strong enough or whether another attacking addition is required.
Within the squad, Jeremie Boga and new arrival Kerim Alajbegovic could adapt to the role normally occupied by Yildiz, potentially sharing responsibility on that side of the attack. Francisco Conceicao, Edon Zhegrova and, for the moment, Nico Gonzalez also provide alternatives.
However, Gonzalez remains involved in a potential transfer operation with Atletico Madrid, with Alexander Sorloth potentially forming part of the wider negotiations.
Further talks will be needed to find an agreement, although there is still a gap between the parties.
With the departures of Arkadiusz Milik and Jonathan David also affecting the attacking options, Juventus are now looking to accelerate their pursuit of Joshua Zirkzee on loan from Manchester United.
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Yildiz’s injury has therefore changed the picture completely. What was already an important final week of the transfer window has suddenly become a decisive one, with Juventus needing immediate solutions to compensate for the absence of their No. 10.