Boban: ‘Yildiz never lifts his head, Chiesa was the only star player in the Juventus squad’

Former AC Milan and Croatia star Zvonimir Boban, who also served on UEFA’s board, has shared his thoughts on Juventus’ summer transfer activities and Cristiano Giuntoli’s decisions. Speaking on Sky Sport, Boban particularly focused on the club’s choice to sell Federico Chiesa and invest heavily in Kenan Yildiz.

Boban expressed his disagreement with Juventus’ decision to part ways with Chiesa, stating, “I would have kept Chiesa. Kenan is a good player, but he never raises his head and doesn’t have the burst of speed to play on the wing. He’s better behind the striker. I don’t know what happened with Chiesa, but you don’t let him go unless there are other reasons… He was the only world-class player they had.”

The Croatian legend was particularly critical of Yildiz’s abilities as a winger, suggesting that the young Turkish player is limited in that role. He emphasized that Yildiz lacks the necessary attributes to excel on the flank, recommending a more central position for him instead.

Boban also commented on Juventus’ acquisition of Teun Koopmeiners, saying, “Juventus had an excellent transfer market: they spent a lot on Koopmeiners, who is an excellent player but not a world-class one. There are many excellent players, but there isn’t a world-class player. If they want to take a further step up in quality, they need to aim for these types of players.”