Lopetegui: "En-Nesyri is a Very Religious Person Devoted to His Faith, and I Believe Italy is Much Better for Him Than Turkey"
Spanish coach Julen Lopetegui has praised the "anticipated" transfer of Moroccan international Youssef En-Nesyri to Italian club Juventus, considering the deal a significant step in the player's career and affirming his confidence in En-Nesyri's ability to adapt and succeed in Serie A.
Speaking to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Julen Lopetegui said: "For me, it's an excellent deal. He has significant room for development, and his technical and human qualities will facilitate his adaptation to Italian football. Furthermore, he is a player of high quality."
The Spanish coach added: "We signed him at Sevilla from Leganés. We were a high-pressing team, and he was ideal for us thanks to his pace and great physical intensity. We didn't misjudge him; in fact, we discovered additional qualities: a fierce striker who works tirelessly for the team. He was perfectly suited to our philosophy of pressing in the opponent's half."
He continued: "He also possesses excellent timing in aerial balls and attacks crosses with courage and power. Furthermore, he is very fast and can be utilized exceptionally well in offensive transitions and open spaces because he is strong and technically skilled. At the time, we worked on organizing his innate and explosive energy, which was initially a bit wild."
Regarding the player's personality off the pitch, Lopetegui explained: "He has a wonderful personality. He is calm, composed, an excellent human being, very reserved, and deeply religious. He meticulously respects everything related to his faith, starting with the month of Ramadan. This aspect must be handled with great respect."
The Spanish coach continued: "To communicate better with him and convey my ideas, I relied heavily on Yassine Bounou, the Moroccan goalkeeper, who played a fatherly role for him and helped me a lot. But this was six years ago, when he was 22. After many years between Sevilla, Fenerbahçe, and the Moroccan national team, we are now talking about a much more mature person and a completely different player."
Regarding his anticipated experience in Italy, Lopetegui stated: "Italy is better for him than Turkey, primarily because of the language. He speaks Spanish fluently and will understand everything, which is very important for a reserved person like him, and will make him more comfortable. Of course, it's a big move, and Juventus is not an ordinary club, so there will be high expectations and significant pressure."
He concluded his remarks by saying: "I wish him all the best because I am emotionally attached to Youssef and always wish him the best. Spalletti knows which strings to pull to develop him further, as he is capable of that. The only question remains how he will handle a very high level of demands, but in my opinion, he has the strong personality to withstand the pressure, and ultimately, the pitch will have the final say."
