Juventus Transfer Market: Bendeguz Kovacs in Their Sights—Who Is the New Zlatan Ibrahimovic?
Juventus continues to look toward the future and has set its sights on one of the most promising young forwards on the European scene. His name is Bendeguz Kovacs; he is 19 years old, Hungarian, plays for AZ Alkmaar, and has a physical trait that doesn’t go unnoticed: he is 1.99 meters tall. An imposing center forward, he also possesses good technique—so much so that he’s already been dubbed the “new Ibrahimovic.” Zlatan, after all, has been his idol since childhood and the role model who inspires him.
His name has made its way into the notebooks of Ricky Massara and Marco Ottolini, who have been tracking the Hungarian talent’s development for several months. This effort is part of Juventus’ new scouting strategy, aimed at identifying young prospects to develop and integrate into the club’s technical project. The Europa League match against AZ Alkmaar, scheduled for Thursday evening, also presents an opportunity to observe him up close.
Born in 2007, he took his first steps at Debrecen before moving to Ajax, which then let him leave on a free transfer in 2025. At AZ, he has found the right environment to develop and is gradually earning more playing time, so much so that he has already made an appearance for the Hungarian senior national team coached by Italian Marco Rossi. He has yet to score his first goal for the Dutch first team, but the prospects are promising.
Juventus had already tried to make a move last summer, evaluating the possibility of signing him outright by taking advantage of his favorable contract situation. AZ, however, managed to secure him with a contract extension through 2029, with an option for an additional season. This move inevitably complicated Juventus’ plans and delayed any potential transfer.
What makes Kovacs’ profile even more appealing to Juventus management is his connection to the agency that represents him, Leaderbrock. This is the same agency that, in 2022, brought a very young Kenan Yildiz—then virtually unknown to the Italian public—to Turin, and which subsequently also handled Adin Licina’s transfer to Juventus. The German playmaker, who arrived last winter, is currently on loan to Cremonese.
This connection strengthens the ties between Juventus and the young Hungarian’s entourage. His transfer fee will depend largely on his development over the coming months, given that AZ is counting heavily on his talents. Massara and Ottolini will continue to monitor his progress, with the possibility of making another move for him in the future. The Europa League match against Juventus represents a special opportunity for Kovacs: a chance to showcase his talents right in front of those who might take a chance on him.
