Kenan Yildiz is highlighted as a prime example of the success of Juventus’ Next Gen project, which focuses on developing young players for the senior squad. According to director Claudio Chiellini, Italian clubs have recently been allowed to establish second teams in Serie C to provide academy players with valuable playing experience against older competitors.
Chiellini stated, “This project makes us proud and there is a very clear thing to look at: today the Number 10 of Juventus is a player who until December of last year, so nine months ago, was the Number 10 of the Next Gen. That has a very strong meaning, without forgetting the progress of the players like Savona, Mbangula, and Rouhi into the senior squad. The move from the Next Gen team to the senior side has become a consistent track in recent years.”
He emphasized that the Next Gen project not only aids player development but also nurtures individuals who can aspire to play for the Juventus first team. Kenan Yildiz, who recently turned 19 and received the Number 10 jersey at Juve, was previously part of the Bayern Munich academy before joining Juventus in 2022.
Chiellini expressed his desire for more clubs to adopt this approach, citing Atalanta and Milan Futuro as examples. He believes that establishing second teams in Serie D, in addition to Serie C, would help reduce costs and promote the growth of young talent within the club.
He proposed, “I think now it is the time to take another step, to set up a round table with the various Leagues to help set up second teams not just in Serie C, but also Serie D. The places are limited in Serie C, where at most one spot opens up every year, whereas opening up registration for Serie D would eliminate a lot of structural problems and give greater visibility to that league.”
