03 June 2024
The 2023/24 season was a truly special season for many Bianconeri, but even moreso for the players who took to the pitch for the very first time in black and white.
A total of nine different players made their First Team debuts this campaign, donning the iconic jersey in either the league or Coppa Italia, a competition which ended with victory in Rome.
Below are all nine debutants of the 2023/24 campaign, listed in chronological order.
ANDREA CAMBIASO
Bought in the summer of 2022 but sent out on loan to Bologna last season, Andrea Cambiaso took to the field in a Bianconero shirt for the very first time in the opening league fixture this season, selected as a starter for Matchday 1’s Udinese-Juventus. And as the season progressed, so did the performances and realibility of the 24-year-old, who became a key component of the team in his first full season at the Club, churning out solid performances from various positions on the pitch, always putting the team first. His love for the club was plain to see in his emotional and dramatic 97th-minute winner over Verona in October. In 39 matches this season, Andrea provided six assists and scored three goals, his impressive performances earning him a first Italy international cap and a recent contract extension with Juventus until 2029.
TIMOTHY WEAH
A summer acquisition from Lille, Timothy Weah was given his first Bianconeri start in the very first match of the season, lining up against Udinese at the Udinese Arena in August. The versatile American international would have to wait a while for his first goal, but it was well worth it, his long-range strike against Salernitana in January’s Cup tie a definite goal of the season contender. The 24-year-old would go on to make 35 appearances across all competitions in his first season in Turin.
KENAN YILDIZ
20 August 2023, Matchday 1 of the new season. A day Kenan Yildiz will never forget, as the Juventus youth team starlet, fresh off being incoporated into the Juventus First Team squad in their summer tour of the USA, made his first ever appearance for the First Team, coming on for Dusan Vlahovic in the final five minutes of that 3-0 victory over Udinese in Friuli. That would be the beginning of a breakout season for the now 19-year-old, who went on to make his senior national team debut with Turkey, renew his Juventus contract, and score his very first senior goal – a superbly-taken strike in a 2-1 win at Frosinone – all before Christmas last year. Across the league and Cup, the Turk made 32 appearances this campaign, scoring four goals.
DEAN HUIJSEN
Another rising star from the Juventus youth ranks, centre-back Dean Huijsen’s impressive performances with the Next Gen team earned him a call-up to the first team squad, with whom he made his debut in a high-stakes encounter against Milan on 22 October. With Juventus 1-0 up in front of a fiery crowd at San Siro, Huijsen replaced Federico Gatti for the final 12 minutes of that encounter, showing composure, strength and intelligence far beyond his young years to help the Bianconeri see out the result. The now 19-year-old, who also made his first appearance for the Spanish Under-21 side this season, earned a loan move out to Roma in January, making 14 appearances and scoring two goals for the capital club.
JOSEPH NONGE
A regular with the Juventus Next Gen side, Joseph Nonge was added to the First Team training squad this season, before finally enjoying his first minutes on the pitch in early January, entering the fray for Fabio Miretti in the 6-1 Round of 16 hammering of Salernitana on 4 January. The Belgian would go on to make three more substitute appearances for the First Team across the season, to complement his 20 appearances for the Next Gen team.
CARLOS ALCARAZ
Arriving on loan from English club Southampton in January, Carlos Alcaraz’s first taste of Italian football came in the Derby d’Italia, coming on for Weston McKennie in the closing minutes of the 1-0 defeat to Inter Milan at San Siro on 4 February. The Argentine was used mostly off the bench in the second half of the campaign, providing one assist in his 12 appearances for the Club.
LEONARDO CERRI
21-year-old Leonardo Cerri got his first taste of First Team football following the turn of the year, having trained with the senior team ahead of Matchday 24’s Juventus-Udinese. The Italian striker took to the Allianz pitch for his debut in the last six minutes of the encounter played on 12 February, taking over from Andrea Cambiaso, in what would be his sole First Team appearance of the season, starring instead for the Juventus Next Gen side with eight goals in 35 appearances.
NIKOLA SEKULOV
The absence of regular frontmen Dusan Vlahovic and Arek Milik gave Next Gen forward Nikola Sekulov an opportunity to showcase his talent wth the First Team, with the 22-year-old from North Macedonia substituted on for the final 10 minutes in March 30’s away fixture at Lazio. It would be his only senior appearance of the campaign, to go with his 17 appearances – and nine goals – for the Next Gen.
TIAGO DJALO
Arriving from French club Lille in January, Tiago Djalo had to bide his time before getting his first minutes on the pitch, having to work his way back from a long-term injury suffered at his former French club. The Portuguese defender was given his chance in Juventus-Monza on 25 May, coming on for the last 16 minutes in place of the departing Alex Sandro for his first appearance in black and white in front of the Allianz Stadium faithful.
