Juventus: When Will Kenan Yildiz Return? A Cold Shower for the Bianconeri’s Rising Star

Juventus coach Luciano Spalletti will have to be patient a little longer: Kenan Yildiz’s return is likely to be delayed by a few weeks. The Turkish forward, who underwent foot surgery last August, had set his return to the field for the mid-December match against Monza, but that timeline now seems very optimistic.

According to La Stampa, the recovery of the player, born in 2005, is proceeding slowly, and Juventus fans may not see him back on the field until early 2027. The next target is the match against Roma before the break, but Juventus may, as a precaution, postpone his return until January, when the Bianconeri will face Bologna, Torino, and Inter in the span of seven days.

The Turkish No. 10’s recovery has taken longer than expected, and the player has only been training consistently at the training center for about ten days. The medical staff and Spalletti himself do not want to take any risks to avoid any possibility of a relapse.

In addition to the No. 10, Jeff Ekhator and the long-term injury victim Milik have also been sidelined for an extended period, while Francisco Conceiçao was sidelined after the home loss to Lazio due to a left shoulder issue, possibly a dislocation. Nico Gonzalez, on the other hand, is expected to return after the international break. In midfield, Khéphren Thuram and captain Manuel Locatelli—who was sidelined by a meniscus injury in the match against Milan—are not expected to return before January.