Juventus summer signing Jeff Ekhator suffered an injury scare just 29 minutes into his pre-season debut, forcing an early withdrawal during Saturday’s friendly against Basel.
The forward, who joined the Bianconeri from Genoa earlier this summer, went down following a challenge with a defender during a run in behind. While he rose and left the pitch under his own power, he was immediately substituted, with Lois Openda taking his place in Luciano Spalletti’s first match at the helm.
Conflicting early reports have emerged regarding the exact nature of the problem. TuttoMercatoWeb suggests initial assessments indicate a muscular issue in the thigh, whereas Corriere dello Sport noted that Ekhator repeatedly clutched his knee after the incident. The severity will only become clear following proper medical examinations in the coming hours.
Setback for Spalletti’s attacking plans
The timing could hardly be worse for the young striker. Ekhator was acquired from Genoa as the first component of Spalletti’s attacking rebuild and had been handed a starting berth to impress the new manager during this critical evaluation period.
Juventus continue to pursue a marquee centre-forward to lead the line, with Randal Kolo Muani among their primary targets and alternatives such as Mateo Pellegrino and Richarlison also under consideration. With the transfer window remaining open, Ekhator’s injury reduces Spalletti’s ability to rotate his forward options while the club negotiates for additional attacking reinforcements.
Pre-season fixtures provide essential opportunities for new signings to adapt to tactical systems and build match fitness. An enforced absence at this stage would delay Ekhator’s integration and potentially limit his involvement in the early weeks of the Serie A campaign.
Juventus are expected to provide an official update once diagnostic tests are completed.