Idrissa Gueye, the 19-year-old Udinese forward, scored in the club's first pre-season friendly of the summer to help the Friulani recover from two goals down and earn a draw against Istra. Alongside Piotrowski, Gueye was one of two players who pulled Kosta Runjaić's side level after a difficult opening to the match.
The significance of that contribution extends beyond a single friendly result. Gueye enters the 2026-27 pre-season carrying the weight of a modest debut campaign — one goal and no assists across 18 Serie A appearances, with an average rating of 6.50. Those are the numbers of a player who has established a foothold without yet making a decisive claim on the starting eleven. A goal in the opening pre-season fixture, and in a comeback context at that, is precisely the kind of moment a young forward needs to build momentum before competitive football resumes.
At 19, Gueye's developmental ceiling remains the more compelling story. An AI potential rating of 82 out of 100, against a current overall of 75, suggests there is meaningful ground to cover — and that the gap is closeable within a realistic timeframe. Runjaić's Udinese finished last season in 10th place with 50 points from 37 matches, a mid-table position that offers a young forward genuine minutes without the suffocating pressure of a relegation fight or a European push. That environment has value for a teenager still learning the rhythms of top-flight Italian football.
The club around Gueye is also in motion. The arrival of a new defender from Como and the ongoing contract situation involving Nicolò Zaniolo will shape the squad's attacking balance heading into the new campaign. If Zaniolo remains, Gueye competes for space in a more experienced forward line; if he departs, the door opens wider. Either scenario demands that Gueye sharpen the numbers that mattered least last season — the ones in the goals and assists columns.
Udinese's pre-season schedule intensifies with a fixture against Swansea next, followed by a three-team tournament on August 8 that includes Barcelona and Nottingham Forest. Those tests will tell Runjaić far more about Gueye's readiness than a draw against Istra, but the teenager has at least opened his account for the summer.