Samuel Iling-Junior made his senior Juventus debut on Friday against Empoli: here’s a profile of the ex-Chelsea starlet.
The 19-year-old joined the Old Lady from the Blues in the summer of 2019 after failing to sign a professional contract with the Blues. Juventus paid just €130,000 to secure his signature from the Premier League giants.
Scorer of one goal in seven appearances with the England U19 squad, Iling-Junior spent his first season in Turin with the Primavera team before being promoted to the NextGen, Juventus’ second team that plays professional football in Serie C, Italy’s third division.
He scored three goals in six appearances with the Old Lady’s second team before his senior debut in Serie A against Empoli on Friday.
The Englishman was introduced for the final five minutes in a 4-0 win at the Allianz Stadium and according to Gazzetta, he will get more playing time this season.
The attacking winger is currently the only alternative to Filip Kostic on the left flank for the Bianconeri, who must cope without Federico Chiesa and Angel Di Maria.
According to Gazzetta, Juventus could decide to promote him to the senior squad until the end of the season before deciding his future next season, when he could continue his development path in Turin or get more playing time on loan.
“This is a special moment for my family and me,” the ex-Chelsea starlet told Juventus TV after his debut on Friday.
“Serie A football is different from Serie C and there are many things I must understand and learn. I dedicate my debut to my girlfriend.”