Tottenham’s winger, Dejan Kulusevski, has openly expressed his feelings of distress and inadequacy during his tenure at Juventus, despite his subsequent move to Tottenham Hotspur. Kulusevski, who commenced his journey with Juventus in 2020, departed the Bianconeri after eighteen months, finalizing his transfer to Spurs in January 2022.
Reflecting on his time at Juventus, the Swedish international conveyed his sentiments in an interview with The Players’ Tribune, stating, “My period at Juventus was a chance to learn from legends.” Kulusevski recounted interactions with Swedish football icon Zlatan Ibrahimović, who remarked, “Listen, I’m too nice to you guys. You should see me in Milan.”
Kulusevski’s professional trajectory began to garner attention during his loan spell at Parma from Atalanta in the 2019-2020 Serie A season. His outstanding performance, culminating in double figures for both goals and assists, earned him recognition as the Serie A Young Player of the Season under the management of Roberto D’Aversa.
However, despite a promising start at Juventus, under the guidance of Andrea Pirlo, Kulusevski encountered challenges following the appointment of Massimiliano Allegri in the summer of 2021. Despite contributing significantly with seven goals and seven assists in his debut season, Kulusevski faced diminished playing time and a lack of confidence under Allegri’s tenure.
Kulusevski reflected on this period, expressing, “You feel terrible because you’ve given your life to play this game, training as hard as you can, and you end up watching players play in your position that are not even wingers.” The winger admitted to feelings of embarrassment and worthlessness, exacerbated by external criticisms regarding his performance and pace.
Despite winning trophies and contributing crucially in pivotal matches, including against his former team Atalanta, Kulusevski acknowledged the difficult period during his final months at Juventus. His subsequent move to Tottenham Hotspur in January 2022 marked a fresh opportunity to break free from the negative spiral he experienced in Turin.
Tottenham secured Kulusevski’s services initially on a €10 million loan deal, with an option to make the transfer permanent. In the summer of 2023, Spurs exercised their option, finalizing Kulusevski’s permanent transfer for an additional €30 million.