Edon Zhegrova’s assist for Kosovo against Austria offered Juventus a timely reminder of the winger’s ability to alter a match in one movement. After 70 outstanding minutes in Pristina, he created the goal for Asllani in a 1-0 win, drawing the embrace of his team-mates as the home crowd chanted his name.
It was a different image from the one attached to much of his first season in Turin. A long injury problem, which affected almost all of 2025, limited his influence for both club and country. Juventus had paid €12 million to replace the departing Nico Gonzalez, who has since returned to the starting line-up under Luciano Spalletti, while Zhegrova has had to compete with Francisco Conceiçao for a place on the right.
Yet the Kosovo international’s standing has improved since his two-goal display against Sassuolo. His international contribution strengthened the feeling that Juventus may now be seeing the player who impressed at Lille, including in the Champions League, two years ago. The individual burst has rarely been questioned; the next challenge is to turn it into a more regular contribution across a season.
A place to fight for in Turin
Spalletti has so far treated Zhegrova largely as Conceiçao’s replacement rather than a regular starter. Across Juventus’s last four league fixtures, he has played 73 minutes from a possible 360: 21 minutes against Frosinone, two against Milan, 30 against Sassuolo and 19 against Atalanta.
The limited domestic role is particularly significant because Zhegrova cannot be used in Europe. His route to greater responsibility therefore runs through the league programme, where Juventus will need options as the campaign develops and the competition for attacking places continues.
In 31 appearances for Juventus, Zhegrova has started only once, against Pafos. That outing ended at half-time after an unconvincing display. His longest major opportunity came in Istanbul against Galatasaray last February, in the 3-2 defeat that ended Juventus’s European campaign. He missed the chance to make it 4-0, a goal that could have sent Spalletti’s side into the last 16.
Those moments explain why his first year has been viewed as disappointing: he ended it without a goal or an assist. But they also show why Juventus have not dismissed his potential. Before choosing Turin, he had attracted interest from leading European clubs, and the coming weeks may offer him a chance to show that he can be more than a supporting figure.
Zhegrova’s commitment to Juventus
The winger recently made clear that he did not want his Juventus experience to end after such a difficult opening season. He said he was happy at “a great club” and described it as a privilege to work with the squad, the coach and the club.
“I want to give everything whenever I play,” Zhegrova said. “I love Juventus and I want to achieve important things here. I was delighted when Juventus signed me, and I did not want to leave in that way. I chose to stay because I want to do big things.”
Asked about being left out of the list, he accepted that it was Spalletti’s decision. “I respect every choice and will do my best,” he said, adding that Juventus have a strong squad and play to win.
He also avoided opening a direct comparison with Inter, before adding with a smile that Juventus are always better. Supporters will welcome the attachment to the shirt, but the next step is practical: converting the flashes seen in Pristina and against Sassuolo into a meaningful role in Juventus’s Serie A season.
