Juventus midfielder Teun Koopmeiners is expected to arrive in Turin between tomorrow and Friday, according to reports in La Gazzetta dello Sport. The Dutchman will join the squad ahead of their pre-season tour of China and Australia, while forward Kenan Yildiz will miss Saturday’s friendly against Standard Liege due to a knee injury.
Yildiz is still recovering from tendinopathy in his knee and has been training separately from the main group since returning from international duty. The club confirmed he will be a spectator for the match in Belgium, which is a key preparation game before the tour of Asia. Juventus manager Luciano Spalletti is already facing attacking shortages with new signing Jeff Ekhator sidelined for 20 days with an injury sustained in a recent friendly against Basel. Jonathan David is still on holiday following his participation in the World Cup.
Spalletti may be forced to rely on Arek Milik and Lois Openda in attack against Standard Liege. Openda is widely expected to return to Lens on loan in the near future. The only new addition to the squad for the match will be Celik, who joined the club on a free transfer last week.
Alongside Koopmeiners, other players like Gleison Bremer, Weston McKennie, and Francisco Conceiçao are expected back in Turin around July 28th, in time for the Asian tour. Khephren Thuram will miss the tour due to an unspecified injury. The arrival of Koopmeiners will bolster Juventus’ midfield options ahead of the new Serie A season, adding further depth to the squad as they aim to challenge for the title.
