Arkadiusz Milik, Juventus forward, has appeared in just two Serie A matches this season, contributing neither a goal nor an assist and averaging a rating of 6.20 — numbers that place him firmly at the periphery of Luciano Spalletti's plans as the Bianconeri push for Champions League qualification in fourth place with 64 points from 34 matches.
The stakes around Juventus are considerable. Spalletti's side sit fourth, four points clear of the chasing pack in what Football Italia describes as a tightly contested UCL race involving Napoli, Milan, Como and Roma. Every squad decision carries weight. In that context, Milik's near-invisibility is not a footnote — it is a structural problem for a 32-year-old forward whose AI overall score of 70 out of 100 suggests residual quality, but whose potential ceiling, rated at just 45, signals a player the data regards as already past his developmental peak.
Spalletti has been candid about his selection logic. Asked ahead of the Milan fixture why Kenan Yildiz did not start, the coach framed his choices around readiness and relational dynamics within the squad — language that implies a hierarchy Milik currently sits outside. The Polish striker does not appear in any of the reported line-ups or tactical discussions surrounding Juventus's recent fixtures, including the high-profile clash against Milan at San Siro.
The broader conversation at the club is already tilting toward 2026-27. Fabrizio Ravanelli, speaking publicly, identified Yildiz, Gleison Bremer and Francisco Conceiçao as the three players around whom Juventus should build — a list that conspicuously excludes Milik. Ravanelli's framing is not binding, but it reflects a sentiment that appears to align with the direction of the squad.
Two appearances, no direct contributions, and a coaching staff that has not publicly referenced him in any tactical context: Milik's 2025-26 campaign is less an injury story or a form story than a visibility story. He exists within the squad without registering on it.
At 32, with a potential rating that suggests the club's own data models see limited upside, Milik's position at Juventus beyond this summer is difficult to defend on current evidence — and the evidence, thin as it is, points consistently in one direction.