Edon Zhegrova’s Juventus story has repeatedly seemed to reach a crossroads, and the latest international break has offered a reason to believe that another turn may finally be leading in the right direction. A year ago, the Kosovo winger had managed only 36 minutes in black and white, while the bench had become a more familiar place than the pitch. Yet Juventus supporters had already seen enough of his one-on-one ability to imagine what he might provide over a full season.
That promise dated back in part to a November 2024 evening with Lille, when Zhegrova caused serious problems for Thiago Motta’s defence. Luciano Spalletti would later give a name to the winger’s particular dribbling style, calling it the “zeppetta”. At his best, Zhegrova can be devastating when isolated close to the opposition area, with room to run at a defender and create the unexpected.
The first Juventus season did not deliver that version often enough. He ended it without a goal or assist, and his only start proved unsuccessful. A pubalgia operation in December 2024 changed the course of his campaign: recovery was lengthy, the return to full fitness was interrupted by further physical problems, and his defensive limitations became a recurring concern for Spalletti.
The Juventus coach has been clear that Zhegrova does not naturally offer the defensive reliability required deeper down the field. Spalletti has argued that the forward can recover his position, but must become more capable of handling the physical duels that define the modern game. It has been a question not only of conditioning, but also of application and personality, preventing him from becoming the impact substitute Juventus had hoped to use.
A route back into the Juventus picture
There was also a difficult moment in the extraordinary European tie against Galatasaray, when Juventus came close to a remarkable comeback. In extra time, Zhegrova missed from close range with a chance that could have made it 4-0. His overall return was so limited that he was compared unfavourably with the least productive Juventus wide players of the previous 15 years, with only Martinez regarded as similarly ineffective.
It was therefore unsurprising that Juventus spent the summer looking for a club willing to take him on. He was left out of the UEFA squad while negotiations with Al-Ittihad were being explored, but no transfer materialised and Zhegrova remained in Turin.
His response has begun to reshape the discussion. A brace against Sassuolo may prove to have been a second decisive moment in his Juventus spell. He then supplied Bremer from a corner in the 2-0 win over Atalanta, before carrying that momentum into Kosovo duty.
Across four international matches, Zhegrova recorded a penalty goal and an assist. More importantly for Juventus, he accumulated 212 minutes in ten days, the kind of close-range sequence of appearances he had not managed since his Lille days. The evidence remains modest and the demands of club football will be greater, but the winger has restored a measure of hope. Juventus are waiting to see whether this is merely a productive spell, or the beginning of the player they expected to find.
