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Adhe Makayasa

Kenan Yildiz hailed as Juventus manager Luciano Spalletti compares Turkish sensation to PSG star Khvicha Kvaratskhelia

K. Yildiz
L. Spalletti
K. Kvaratskhelia
Juventus
Serie A
Paris Saint-Germain
Ligue 1
SSC Napoli

Luciano Spalletti has likened Juventus sensation Kenan Yildiz to Paris Saint-Germain attacker Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, highlighting their shared attacking flair and sheer unpredictability. The Bianconeri boss worked with the Georgian during their title-winning campaign at Napoli, and he believes his current teenage forward boasts an identical creative spark.

  • Spalletti identifies shared Kvaratskhelia traits

    Juventus head coach Spalletti has praised Yildiz, claiming the forward operates on an unpredictable frequency similar to Kvaratskhelia during Napoli's 2022-23 title-winning campaign. The 21-year-old was the undisputed focal point for the Bianconeri last season after registering 14 goals and 10 assists. However, the Turkish attacker's current campaign has stalled after a fractured metatarsal sustained in August limited him to just 69 minutes of action.

  • Frosinone Calcio v Juventus - Serie A 2026/27Getty Images Sport

    Tactician highlights rare inventive madness

    Spalletti has been thoroughly captivated by his young attacker's instincts, which he believes can dismantle even the most organised backlines in Italian football. Speaking to Tuttosport, the veteran tactician outlined his prodigy's brilliance: "Yildiz makes football shine. His every move is ingenious and breaks the system. When he starts, even he doesn't necessarily have a plan of what he'll do next. Sometimes, in training, I see the defenders predict his movement, and they still can't stop him. He has the madness of invention. For me, he is comparable to Kvaratskhelia."

  • Leadership presence far beyond years

    Beyond raw technical wizardry, Spalletti holds equal admiration for the Turkiye international's maturity and quiet character whenever he operates outside traditional tactical constraints.

    Expanding on that assessment, the manager added: "He needs to play a bit more, but I see similarities in the unpredictability, the way he stays outside of the rules and timing you expect in football. He's a lovely guy, the boy next door type, but also a leader – one that doesn't need to talk much."

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  • Juventus v Atalanta BC - Serie A 2026/27Getty Images Sport

    Bianconeri await decisive winter return

    The Turin giants currently sit seventh in Serie A as they prepare for a demanding trip to face Cagliari once the international break concludes. Spalletti must wait until at least December for his talismanic forward to make a full recovery, assuming he avoids any further physical setbacks. If the manager's glowing assessment proves accurate, Yildiz's eventual return will inject the crucial firepower required to fire Juventus back into title contention.