Spalletti believes Yildiz is capable of producing moments that do not follow conventional football logic because he does not necessarily know what he is going to do himself.
“He puts chrome on his moves, makes them shine. Every move he makes is a work of ingenuity. He is someone who breaks the system: even he does not know what he might do. He starts the action, but he does not have a predetermined plan for which trick to use.
"Sometimes someone reads his movement in advance in training. But Kenan gets past them anyway. Even if you know him, you cannot fool him: he has madness in his invention.”
That unpredictability is one of the reasons Spalletti compares Yildiz with Napoli and Georgia star Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
“For me, he can be compared to Kvara. He just needs to play a little more, but I see him as very similar in the surprises he creates. In the way he always tries to stay outside the timing and rules of the move.”
Spalletti also believes Yildiz has already established himself as a leader within the Juventus dressing room, despite not necessarily being the kind of player who needs to dominate conversations.
“Yes, they recognise the sceptre in him. He is a very good boy, very simple, just the guy next door. But he is a leader. He does not necessarily have to speak to the team.”
The Juventus coach used former Udinese midfielder Nestor Sensini as an example of the type of leadership he means.
“I had Nestor Sensini at Udinese. He did not say a word. Sometimes he did not even say hello. But his charisma forced everyone to follow him. He was magnetic.”
Spalletti’s wider assessment of Juventus also reflected his belief that the team has the quality to produce much more consistent football.
Looking back at last season, he admitted that the biggest disappointment was the failure to maintain the level Juventus had shown for long periods.
“We had solved the fundamental question of who we really were. But three or four incidents happened that interrupted the rhythm, like tactical fouls we suffered. What hurt me most was not maintaining the very high level of football we had expressed for almost the entire season. It cost us the Champions League.”
The coach also highlighted several players he believes can make a significant impact this season.
Among the new arrivals, Spalletti singled out Alajbegovic as someone capable of surprising people, while also identifying Edon Zhegrova as a potential top-level player.
“We have to manage to create a more familiar and peaceful environment for him, so he can grow faster. You have to create a strong relationship between the team and the potential of individual players. But if Zhegrova just completes himself a little more, you will see him. He can become a top player.”
Spalletti was equally enthusiastic about Weston McKennie, whose tactical versatility has become an important part of his Juventus side.
“For him we created the ‘Weston Zone’. He knows every corner of the pitch. Even in the videos we put together, they tell you a lot about his character and personality. He is a great man who knows how to do so many things.”
He added: “He is a defensive midfielder, a midfielder, an attacking midfielder, he plays wherever he wants. Wes has a backpack full of medals to hand out to those who have coached him and those who will coach him.”
For Spalletti, that versatility represents an increasingly important quality in modern football.
“Universality is the new specialisation in football. Knowing the whole pitch is an obligation now.”
But it is Yildiz who perhaps best embodies the unpredictability Spalletti wants from his attacking players. The coach sees a footballer capable of creating something without knowing exactly how he will do it — and believes that is precisely what makes him so difficult to stop.