{"id":437762,"date":"2026-01-26T03:22:12","date_gmt":"2026-01-26T03:22:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/437762\/"},"modified":"2026-01-26T03:22:12","modified_gmt":"2026-01-26T03:22:12","slug":"juventus-need-a-new-striker-but-yildiz-is-an-alien","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/437762\/","title":{"rendered":"Juventus need a new striker, but Yildiz ‘is an alien’"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"TURIN,<\/p>\n

TURIN, ITALY – JANUARY 25: Luciano Spalletti, Head Coach of Juventus, looks on prior to the Serie A match between Juventus FC and SSC Napoli at Juventus Stadium on January 25, 2026 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Valerio Pennicino\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Luciano Spalletti praises Jonathan David, Weston McKennie and \u2018alien\u2019 Kenan Yildiz but insists Juventus need a new striker in January.<\/p>\n

Juventus secured a 3-0 win over direct rivals, Napoli, on Sunday, moving one point below the defending champions in the Serie A table.<\/p>\n

Spalletti comments on Juventus 3-0 Napoli\"TURIN,TURIN, ITALY \u2013 JANUARY 12: Juventus FC head coach Luciano Spalletti looks on during the Serie A match between Juventus FC and US Cremonese at Allianz Stadium on January 12, 2026 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Valerio Pennicino\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

\u201cAll the matches are important. They\u2019re all worth three points,\u201d Spalletti told Sky Sport via Ilbianconero.com.<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s an important win for the awareness of what we do and the players\u2019 awareness that they can play high-level football. These are matches you have to show yourself who you are, why you\u2019re here and why you do it.\u201d<\/p>\n

David scored his fourth Serie A goal this season, and Spalletti was happy with the Canadian\u2019s performance.<\/p>\n

\u201cDavid is a strong player, and tonight he showed that he can hold his own in a duel in the box, where there\u2019s no space, so it has to be taken away from the opponent,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you put all your strength into those moments, it\u2019s fine, otherwise you don\u2019t get there. He scored a goal as a proper striker.<\/p>\n

\u201cMcKennie is a perfect central striker, one of the strongest as a centre-forward. He fights, he\u2019s strong in the air, and he\u2019s got an impressive leap. He plays to get results because he makes decisions. He would be a perfect striker.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe match was always open because when you don\u2019t finish your chances and the result isn\u2019t safe, something unexpected can come from any episode,\u201d Spalletti continued.<\/p>\n

\"TURIN,TURIN, ITALY \u2013 JANUARY 03: Luciano Spalletti, Head Coach of Juventus, looks on prior to the Serie A match between Juventus FC and US Lecce at on January 03, 2026 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Valerio Pennicino\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

\u201cFor me, what\u2019s fundamental is that they always did things the same way. The idea was always to go and press. Bremer was excellent in one-on-one in open field. Hojlund is strong physically, technically and in running behind. He handled that one-on-one perfectly.\u201d<\/p>\n

Spalletti was satisfied with David, but in his post-match interview with DAZN<\/a>, the Juventus coach argued that the club should still sign a new centre-forward this month.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are strikers like Hojlund who drop into midfield, you smash the ball into them, and they still make it playable,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s something we don\u2019t have. David is fine for scoring goals, but when you look further, you also need someone who battles physically with the centre-back. We don\u2019t need a striker to score goals, but for that kind of job. David is very strong, but he can\u2019t do that kind of job. If the team manages not to concede goals and David keeps scoring, like he is now. Then we\u2019ll still keep our heads above the water we can breathe, and everything is perfect.\u201d<\/p>\n

Before the match, Juventus director Giorgio Chiellini admitted that \u00a0Youssef En-Nesyri had rejected a move to Juventus as he seeks a permanent transfer in the January transfer window.<\/a><\/p>\n

Surely, the Bianconeri won\u2019t need a player to replace Yildiz.<\/p>\n

\u201cYildiz played as a striker and scored. He\u2019s an alien; he\u2019s not a normal footballer,\u201d argued Spalletti.<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery now and then, he does something wrong just to see if he can fit into normality, but he can\u2019t; he can\u2019t become a normal footballer.\u201d<\/p>\n

Juventus\u2019 next match is just around the corner as the Bianconeri will return to the pitch on Wednesday, away at Monaco in the Champions League.<\/p>\n


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