Will Igor Tudor maintain Juventus’ trust in its Next Gen products? | OneFootball

Igor Tudor is placing his trust in Kenan Yildiz to shine once again for Juventus following the youngster’s struggles under Thiago Motta.

The Turkish talent is regarded with pride by Juventus, having risen through the club’s ranks after being signed from Bayern Munich. He swiftly progressed through the academy and into the first team.

The Bianconeri consider Yildiz to be one of the finest young prospects globally, and Tudor has shown significant faith in him. Both Motta and Max Allegri also supported the teenager, with Allegri handing him his first-team debut.

However, Tudor appears to have a deeper understanding of Yildiz, granting him a free role on the pitch, which has seemingly brought out the best in his performances.

Yildiz is currently the most prominent graduate from the Next Gen squad in the Juventus first team, although he is not the only player from the B team to feature in the senior setup.

One of the biggest advantages of bringing through Next Gen talent is the financial side, for example, youngsters brought through the system cost zero in transfer fees and have a sell-on value that is pure profit on the books. Clubs love to save money as much as a punter does when utilising the $1 deposit casinos in Canada, and that is why the Next Gen set up is so important to Juventus.

Despite Yildiz’s emergence, Tudor has not afforded similar opportunities to Samuel Mbangula, another graduate who had impressed under Motta. Before this season, many Juventus supporters were unfamiliar with Mbangula, but Motta recognised his potential and integrated him effectively into the team.

Tudor, however, appears not to have a place for Mbangula in his plans, and the Belgian has struggled for game time. In the three matches Tudor has overseen, Yildiz remains the only Next Gen player to start.

Before Tudor’s arrival, the Next Gen team was viewed as a genuine source of talent capable of feeding into the senior squad. Yet under his management, Nicolo Savona has featured for just 16 minutes across three matches, while Mbangula and Jonas Rouhi have yet to make an appearance.

This trend suggests Tudor does not appear to value the current crop of graduates as highly as Motta once did.

The Question of Suitability

Tudor has implemented a distinctly different tactical approach compared to Thiago Motta, which has had a considerable impact. Under Motta, Juventus operated with a back four in a 4-2-3-1 formation, promoting young players he believed could contribute meaningfully to the first team.

In contrast, Tudor’s 3-4-2-1 system represents a significant shift, and this tactical overhaul is a key factor behind the reduced involvement of some younger players.

The new manager is prioritising results as the season nears its conclusion, and it is unlikely that additional Next Gen graduates will be utilised extensively, given Tudor’s limited timeframe to meet his objectives.