Who is David Puczka, the Juventus player who has caught Spalletti’s eye?

Spalletti Juventus

Born in 2005, an Austrian winger from NextGen who is having a standout season in Serie C

With just a few months to go until the end of the season, clubs are beginning to plan their transfer strategies. Initial contact has been made with targeted players, with the aim of moving before other clubs to get ahead of the competition. Juventus are looking around for reinforcements ahead of next season, but they are also looking in-house, trying to see if there is any talent to be found in the Next Gen squad. One of the players Luciano Spalletti is monitoring with interest is David Puczka, a left-back born in 2005 who plays for Brambilla’s side and could become a reinforcement for the first team next season.

A WINGER

A winger with a knack for scoring: eight goals in almost 30 appearances in Serie C Group B, plus four assists for his teammates; thanks to his goals, he is currently Juventus NextGen’s top scorer. A goalscorer and penalty taker too, as half of his goals have come from the spot. In January, he won the award for best player across all three groups; his key qualities include his running and ability to get into space; he is a defensive winger who can play across the whole flank when needed; his contract with Juve expires in 2027 and, in these final months of the season, he will be assessed by Spalletti before taking stock of his future alongside the club’s management.

HOW THE MARKET IS SHIFTING TO THE LEFT

The youngster’s attributes are similar to those of Andrea Cambiaso, and it is not out of the question that he could become his natural deputy in the first team by the 2026/27 season. Filip Kostic currently fills that role, but the Serbian winger’s contract is due to expire and, for the time being, there are no plans to contact his representatives regarding a potential renewal. The most likely scenario is that the player will leave on a free transfer, at which point the club’s management will have to move to find replacements: certainly, a number of names are already under consideration and feature on the list of potential transfer targets, but David Puczka could be Juventus’ surprise signing of the summer.