Juventus fear injury setback for teenager Jeff Ekhator in first pre-season outing

Juventus face an anxious wait over the fitness of teenage forward Jeff Ekhator after the highly rated attacker limped off with a thigh problem during his first appearance for the club in a goalless pre-season draw against Basel.

The 19-year-old summer signing, who is eligible to play for Nigeria at senior level, lasted only part of the first half of Saturday’s friendly in Switzerland before signalling discomfort and asking to be withdrawn.

Head coach Luciano Spalletti confirmed after the match that Ekhator had complained of pain in the back of his thigh but stressed that the club are hopeful the issue will not prove serious.

“He felt a little pain in the back, let’s hope he’s not hurt,” Spalletti told Sky Italia.

The match ended 0-0, with Juventus goalkeeper Mattia Perin saving a second-half penalty to ensure the Italian side began their pre-season schedule unbeaten.

Early blow for new signing

Ekhator, who joined Juventus earlier in the current transfer window, was handed his debut as Spalletti began to shape his squad for the 2026-27 campaign.

However, his first outing in black and white was cut short when he pulled up with what appeared to be a muscle problem in his thigh. After receiving treatment, he was substituted and replaced by Dutch striker Lois Openda as Juventus were forced into an early change.

The setback is a particular frustration for the forward, who had been aiming to use pre-season to convince Spalletti of his readiness for regular first-team involvement following his move to Turin.

Juventus have not yet provided a detailed medical bulletin, with further assessment expected in the coming days as the club continue their preparations for the new Serie A season.

Perin denies Basel from the spot

In an otherwise low-key friendly, Basel created the clearest opportunity to win the match shortly before the hour mark.

Midfielder Arthur conceded a penalty in the 58th minute, giving the Swiss side a chance to break the deadlock. Super Eagles winger Philip Otele stepped up to take the spot-kick, but veteran goalkeeper Perin produced an excellent save to keep the scores level.

The Italian stopper dived the right way to deny Otele, preserving the clean sheet and ensuring Juventus left Switzerland with a draw from their opening warm-up game.

That incident proved to be the decisive moment of the contest, as both sides struggled to create clear-cut chances from open play.

International future still open

Despite having already featured for Italy in friendly matches in June 2026, Ekhator remains eligible to represent Nigeria at senior international level because he has yet to appear in a competitive fixture for the Azzurri.

His dual eligibility has attracted attention from both federations, with his progress at Juventus likely to be closely monitored in the coming season.

For now, the teenager’s priority will be to return to full fitness as quickly as possible, build rhythm in training and rejoin Juventus’ pre-season programme.

With the new campaign fast approaching, both Spalletti and the club’s supporters will hope the injury proves to be only a minor setback for a player signed with an eye on the future as well as the present.