Kenan Yildiz has found himself adapting to a new role as a winger at Juventus this season, a shift prompted by the club’s depth in midfield following the summer transfer window. Initially, the young Turkiye international had shown promise playing as an attacking midfielder behind striker Dusan Vlahovic. However, with the arrival of new midfield talent like Teun Koopmeiners, the central attacking role has become highly competitive. As a result, Yildiz has been deployed more frequently on the left wing, where he is expected to cut inside and utilize his strong right foot to create scoring opportunities.
While Yildiz demonstrated his potential in this position by scoring a well-taken goal against PSV in the Champions League, his performances have been inconsistent, leading to some doubts among fans regarding his long-term suitability for the role. His ability to influence games from the wing has been questioned, with many supporters wondering if his natural skill set would be better utilised in a central position.
Addressing these concerns, Juventus manager Thiago Motta stated that Yildiz’s development is on track while acknowledging the need for improvement. As quoted by Tuttomercatoweb, Motta said: “Yildiz is fine, he needs to improve in all aspects of the game, but like everyone else. He must always be connected to the team, from the defensive phase to concentration. He is a young player, but already a great player that we must exploit in the best way, both as a winger and as a midfielder. However, I am convinced that great players can play anywhere and very well.”
Motta’s remarks underline his belief in Yildiz’s versatility, suggesting that the 18-year-old possesses the talent to excel in multiple roles. For now, Juventus appears committed to refining Yildiz’s game on the wing, where he has also been used by the Turkiye national team. His ongoing adaptation will require him to deliver consistent performances, maintain a high level of concentration, and contribute effectively to both offensive and defensive phases.
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RC Strasbourg are set to bolster Liam Rosenior's coaching staff with an appointment from Chelsea this summer. The Ligue 1 side are looking to improve on their seventh place finish in 2024-25 next term, which saw them qualify for the Conference League following their first season under Rosenior. It was helped by the loan additions of goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic and Brazilian midfielder Andrey Santos, who played key roles in their quest for European qualification. This summer, the BlueCo sister-club, will welcome Mike Penders, Mamadou Sarr and Kendry Paez as the three loanees from Chelsea, seeing them benefit from the multi-club relationship. Rosenior was a coach in demand after switching England for France last summer, and Strasbourg made a prompt move back in April to extend the 41-year-old's contract until June 2028. “Signing with Racing is the best decision of my career, and it’s a source of immense pride to extend my contract here," Rosenior said. "I firmly believe in our project and in the future of Racing: together, we can build something special.” Rosenior will now welcome a new assistant to his coaching team for the 2025-26 season, it has been revealed. As reported by The Athletic, Chelsea development squad coach Filipe Coelho will depart the Blues for France this summer. The 44-year-old will leave his post at Chelsea after just one season, which saw him guide the development to third place in Premier League 2. It's reported that Coelho was 'highly rated at Cobham and earned credit for the quality of his training sessions and for implementing a progressive style of play'. He now leaves his role at Chelsea which will now need to be filled, but there is no doubt a plan in place given Coelho switches from one BlueCo club to another. Coelho leaves with pride after his one year at Chelsea. He told the club's in-house media team back in May: “It’s been an incredible journey. From the very start, I felt welcomed by everyone here. The atmosphere has been so family-oriented and that’s really stuck with me. “The quality of the players was clear from day one, but what stood out most was how open everyone has been to my ideas. It’s been a fantastic environment for growth. I’m proud of the progress we’ve made as a team.”
The Cleveland Browns are giving Shedeur Sanders special treatment in training camp, but it's not the type of favoritism the fifth-round pick would necessarily want. Per Daniel Oyefusi of ESPN, Sanders is the only Browns quarterback who has not been taking reps with the first-team offense during OTAs or the first two practices of training camp. Former Pittsburgh Steelers first-round pick Kenny Pickett, veteran Joe Flacco and rookie Dillon Gabriel have all split reps with the first team. Despite being asked to throw passes to members of the equipment staff amid a shortage of professional pass-catchers for a four-quarterback roster, Sanders said he's thankful for the opportunity to show the Browns coaching staff his talents. "I feel like that it's not in my control, so I'm not going to think about that or even have that in my thought process of why it is," Sanders said to a question as to why he's not getting first-team reps. "There's a lot of people who want to have the opportunity to be at this level, and I'm here and I'm thankful to have the opportunity. So, whenever that is, that is." Sanders, 23, believes that he can contribute more to the Browns than what the coaching staff is asking of him. "It doesn't make me feel down or left out because I know who I am as a person," Sanders said. "I know who I am as an individual and I know what I could bring to this team. So, I can never feel less than any circumstance." The Browns selected Sanders with the No. 144 pick in April's draft. As a player whom many draft analysts thought was a first-round talent, Cleveland took what could be the steal of the draft in the fifth round. It's curious why the Browns aren't giving Sanders a shot with the first team early in training camp before the quarterback race becomes more serious. Cleveland should see what Sanders has to offer this summer. Flacco, 40, isn't a long-term solution at the position. Pickett failed in Pittsburgh. The Browns need to gauge what rookies Gabriel and Sanders can do with the first team. Having Sanders throw balls to the equipment staff is a waste of everyone's time. But then again, Cleveland has wasted plenty of quarterbacks.
The New York Rangers are adding to their forward depth ahead of their upcoming training camp. The Rangers are entering a new chapter of their organization under new head coach Mike Sullivan. After missing the postseason last year, the organization is trying to rebound and respond accordingly in 2025 and 2026. Former Stanley Cup champion forward Conor Sheary is the latest player to join the new-look Rangers. The veteran forward agreed to a professional tryout agreement (PTO) with the club and will look to earn an NHL deal with his performance in training camp and the preseason. Sheary is a veteran of 593 NHL games. Originally an undrafted free agent, he signed with the Pittsburgh Penguins after completing his collegiate career. Following a year with the Penguins' AHL affiliate, he forced his way onto the NHL squad after posting 36 points in his first 30 games of the 2015-2016 season at the AHL level. His debut NHL season went better than ever expected, and he was a key part of the Penguins' lineup that won back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2016 and 2017. Sheary's coach at the time, both at the AHL and NHL levels, was Mike Sullivan. Now, he'll get the chance to reunite with the coach under whom he won two championships. In addition to playing for the Penguins, Sheary has played for three other NHL franchises. The Pens dealt him to the Buffalo Sabres before the 2018-2019 campaign, but he would return to Pittsburgh the following season at the trade deadline. After his second stint with the Penguins, he joined the Washington Capitals. He played three seasons in Washington, D.C. before landing with the Tampa Bay Lightning, where he spent the past two years. Over his 593 career games, he's compiled 124 goals and 143 assists for 267 points. His best NHL season came during the 2016-2017 campaign, his second in the league. He scored 23 goals and added 30 assists for 53 points in 61 regular-season games.
The Arizona Diamondbacks have plenty of suitors for third baseman Eugenio Suarez. A new team has reportedly entered the market for his services. Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer reported that the Phillies have reached out regarding Suarez. While Lauber did not provide any indication as to whether or not those talks have gained traction, the Phillies are an intriguing suitor for the Diamondbacks' third baseman. The Phillies' interest may be a recent development. Jon Heyman of the New York Post speculated on Friday that the Phillies could emerge as a suitor in the wake of third baseman Alec Bohm landing on the injured list with a fractured left rib. Suarez is in the midst of what is arguably his best season thus far. He has produced a .249/.321/.587 batting line in 421 plate appearances entering Saturday with 36 homers and a major league-leading 87 RBI. Suarez would be more than just another powerful bat in the lineup. Designated hitter Kyle Schwarber and first baseman Bryce Harper are both left-handed hitters — adding Suarez would provide more balance in the batting order. He would also provide a counter against opposing managers bringing in a lefty reliever to face Schwarber and Harper. The biggest question would be how the Phillies would handle an eventual logjam on the roster. Bohm is expected to return from the IL in mid-August and would not have a clear path to regular at-bats if Suarez were acquired. Schwarber could theoretically return to left field to open up playing time at the DH spot, but his outfield defense is mediocre at best. However, as the Phillies are also looking to upgrade the outfield, where Max Kepler and Brandon Marsh have been disappointments, adding Suarez could solve several problems in one fell swoop.
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