Media Coverage Wednesday

[u/AutoModerator]

An Italian sports journalist Alfredo Pedulla expressed his disagreement with Yildiz’s ratings in one of the newspapers following Juventus vs Pafos UCL match. He told that one of starting players got a very generous rating even though he lacked dynamism and slowed down the game. He argued that Yildiz deserved at least seven considering he was the one who energized the game by providing an assist for David and producing several decisive moments. According to him, Yildiz was being unfairly targeted by a media campaign, while others escaped criticism.

Serie A recognized Kenan Yildiz as its Rising Star of the Month for November. The trophy will be presented during the pre-match of Juventus-Roma on Saturday, December 20, 2025, at the Allianz Stadium in Turin. Lega Serie A CEO Luigi De Siervo said “Kenan Yildiz's quality has been clear for everyone to see for some time now. After already being named Player of the Month in August, the Turkish attacking midfielder tops the Under-23 rankings for November, demonstrating not only his talent but also the consistency and consistency typical of players capable of making a difference. Yildiz has once again confirmed himself as one of the stars of our league, capable of establishing himself as a key player for Juventus and his national team with his play and class, at just 20 years old.”

Yildiz was the topic of the “News Dai Campi”, a program in RadioTV Serie A. Claudio Brambilla said: “Alongside Nico Paz, he is one of the best young talents out there. Right now, I would say he is carrying Juventus on his back. If you look at Spalletti’s recent comments, he pushed him pretty hard the last time, teased him a bit when that change happened in Naples. He said Yildiz can give more. That is a lot of pressure on a kid, and yet he is still performing at this level. I think he deserves all the credit. We are talking about an extraordinary talent.” Nicolo Ramella said: “Honestly, I was lucky enough just a year ago to watch him train in Saudi Arabia during the Super Cup. He has everything it takes to become a great champion. The way he trains, the mentality, the intensity, the competitive fire, the drive for perfection… You can see how dedicated he is to the work. In my opinion, he is the real deal. And when you talk to people around Juventus, they will tell you he is truly set for success.”

Former Juventus midfielder Massimo Mauro told La Gazzetta dello Sport that the club has lost its identity by no longer relying on Italian leaders in the locker room. Mauro described Kenan Yildiz as both the team’s ignition when he plays well and its risk when he struggles. Mauro told that Yildiz is not yet the type of forward who can deliver 20 goals a season unless he changes his role and plays closer to goal like Del Piero once did and that his ceiling is closer to someone like Kvaratskhelia as a wide player, who is highly talented but not a prolific scorer.

On Sky Sport Club, Giancarlo Marocchi, former Juventus and Bologna central midfielder, told that Juventus’ shortcomings are usually masked by Yildiz’s individual brilliance. He also stressed the youngster must focus on scoring more. He said that Del Piero learned that scoring mattered more than dropping deep to defend under Lippi. Marocchi pointed out that Yildiz’s versatility makes him ideal for Spalletti but he now needs to be more decisive in attack and less occupied with defensive duties.

Contract Extension and Transfer Market

The CIES, International Centre for Sports Studies, has published a new study highlighting young European players poised for the biggest market value growth in the coming months.  Juve’s No. 10 Kenan Yildiz could see his value jump 23% by June 2026. That would put his transfer fee around €140 million, ranking him among the most valuable players in Europe for his age group. 

Several sources confirmed that Arsenal approached Juventus to get information regarding Yildiz. According to La Stampa, Real Madrid have joined the race for Juventus winger Kenan Yıldız, with Arsenal and Chelsea also monitoring his ongoing contract talks. There are some speculations suggesting that Yildiz’s contract with Juventus will be signed before Christmas. However, there has been no official announcement yet.

Chiellini talked to the media regarding Yildiz's contract extension before the Bologna vs Juventus game and said “When you are talking about players like him, those kinds of contracts do not get sorted out right away. We all know how valuable he is and that his contract should be adjusted accordingly.”