Juventus weigh two replacement options for Yildiz as injured stars near return
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Juventus are considering two tactical alternatives to fill in for Kenan Yildiz, while two more players are set to return from injury.
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Attributed to original sourceJuventus are unlikely to dip into the transfer market to find a direct replacement for Kenan Yildiz after learning that he will be sidelined for around three months, but there is still encouraging news on Wednesday as Federico Gatti and summer signing Jeff Ekhator have returned to training following their recent injury lay-offs.
Yildiz out for three months, but Gatti and Ekhator return to Juventus training There are concerns in the Juventus camp that Yildiz will require surgery to fix a fractured metatarsal in his left foot, an injury that was reported after Juve’s first Serie A match of the season, which ended in a 1-0 victory away against Frosinone on Sunday.
PERTH, AUSTRALIA – AUGUST 11: Jacopo Segre of Palermo FC and Kenan Yildiz of Juve lead the teams out during the match between Juventus and Palermo at HBF Park on August 11, 2026 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images) The initial reports claimed that Yildiz would be unavailable for a period of around two months, however, after seeing another specialist consultant on Tuesday, the most recent assessment is that the recovery time will be more like three months, ruling the Turkey international out until late November.
Still, Juventus are not expected to dive back into the transfer market to find a direct replacement for Yildiz, as the club have already brought in Kerim Alajbegovic this summer and he is one of the candidates to deputise for the Bianconeri posterboy.
PERTH, AUSTRALIA – AUGUST 08: Kerim Alajbegovic makes a run makes a during the match between Juventus and FC Internazionale at Optus Stadium on August 08, 2026 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by James Worsfold/Getty Images) The other option to replace Yildiz on the left of the attack is Jeremie Boga, whose loan deal from OGC Nice was made permanent earlier this summer after an encouraging return to Serie A in the second half of the 2025-26 season.
Juventus are still in the market for another attacker, but this is more likely to be a more physical centre-forward profile to compete with Randal Kolo Muani. Wednesday’s reports indicate that Alexander Sorloth is Luciano Spalletti’s preferred option.
Elsewhere, the latest updates have confirmed that Gatti and Ekhator are back in training with Juventus.
Jeff Ekhator has completed his transfer from Genoa (juventus.com) Ekhator was injured soon after joining Juventus from Genoa back in July, whilst Gatti was forced to sit out of the first Serie A match of the season after a freak incident that saw him accidentally tackled from behind by a supporter during a friendly against the Next Gen side at the Allianz Stadium the week before the season kicked off.
Both are now pushing to be involved for Juventus’s home match against Parma on Saturday.
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What happened
Juventus face a potential absence of attacker Kenan Yildiz and are evaluating two internal options to replace him in the lineup. The news comes alongside a positive development, as two further first-team players are nearing full fitness and are expected to return from injury. The combination of a possible Yildiz absence and incoming reinforcements gives manager Thiago Motta more flexibility as Juventus navigate their upcoming fixtures.
Chance analysis
Losing a creative hub like Kenan Yildiz would be a blow to Juventus' attacking flow, but the reported return of two players from injury softens the blow and broadens Thiago Motta's selection options. Juventus appear to have a contingency plan internally rather than relying on a short-term fix, which speaks to the squad depth they have been building. How Motta reshapes the front line will be one of the more interesting tactical subplots for the Bianconeri in the coming matches.
Yildiz's potential absence weakens Juventus' attacking creativity, but the return of two injured players restores depth and gives Motta multiple alternatives in attack.