Juljan Shehu

2020–21 season

In the following season, Shehu featured in Laçi’s UEFA Europa League Second qualifying round match on 17 September 2020, again facing Hapoel Be'er Sheva. He started the game and played the first half, as Laçi were eliminated after conceding two late goals to lose 2–1. The single-leg tie was played behind closed doors due to COVID-19 restrictions.^[16]

In the domestic league, Shehu was a regular starter throughout the season, making 32 appearances, almost all as a full 90-minute player. He scored three goals and provided three assists, contributing crucial points for the team as Laçi finished fourth in the table to secure qualification for the newly established UEFA Conference League.^[3][2][4]

In the Albanian Cup quarter-finals on 17 March 2021 against Partizani, Shehu played the full 120 minutes in a goalless draw. The match was contentious, with claims of two denied penalties for Partizani, and ultimately went to a penalty shoot-out in which Shehu converted his attempt, helping Laçi win 4–3.^[17] In the semi-finals, Laçi faced Vllaznia and were narrowly defeated 1–0, with Shehu playing the full 90 minutes.^[3]

2021–22 season

In the 2021–22 season, Shehu began in July by featuring as a starter in both legs of the UEFA Europa Conference League first qualifying round against Montenegrin side Podgorica, as Laçi advanced after extra time.^[18] In the second qualifying round, he played two full matches against Romanian club Universitatea Craiova, helping his team progress 1–0 on aggregate.^[19][11] Shehu was booked three times during these qualifying fixtures and missed the first leg of the third round against Anderlecht, where Laçi lost 3–0. He returned for the second leg, playing the full 90 minutes, although Laçi were again defeated and eliminated from the competition.^[20][3]

Domestically, Shehu remained a regular starter throughout the league season, appearing in 33 matches and scoring four goals. He contributed consistently in midfield as Laçi achieved one of their best league finishes, ending the season in second place behind Tirana and securing qualification for Europe once again.^{[21][3][4][2]}

Meanwhile, in the Albanian Cup, Shehu appeared in seven matches and scored one goal, playing an important role in the team’s run to the final, where Laçi lost 2–1 after extra time to Vllaznia Shkodër.^{[11][22][3][4]}

2022–23 season

He made his debut in Poland’s top flight on 17 July 2022, coming on as a 72nd-minute substitute in a 2–1 away defeat against Pogoń Szczecin in the opening round of the 2022–23 season.^[24] He quickly adapted to the pace and physicality of Polish football, gradually establishing himself as part of Widzew’s midfield rotation.^[25] Shehu began the season as a rotational option, featuring regularly in the opening rounds before missing several weeks through injury.^[3] Upon returning, he was used mainly as a late substitute for a period. Ten rounds before the end of the season, Widzew ranked fifth in the table within the European qualification zone.^[22] As Shehu gradually regained a place in the starting lineup, he started most of Widzew’s final ten league matches, but the team struggled for results, collecting only four points and finishing twelfth—twelve points off the European places in a tightly contested league.^[3] Polish media later highlighted his growing importance within the team, describing him as a key figure in midfield and one of Widzew’s most reliable performers.^[26][27]

Over the whole campaign, he had played 24 matches.^[2][22][11]

2023–24 season

In the following 2023–24 season, Shehu began strongly, registering a decisive assist on 23 July 2023 in stoppage time (90+3') to secure a 3–2 victory against Puszcza Niepołomice.^[28] He later added another assist and received four consecutive yellow cards during a stretch of matches in which the team achieved relatively positive results.^[3][22] In mid-November 2023, Shehu suffered a cruciate ligament tear that sidelined him until the penultimate week of the season. He returned to the matchday squad for the final fixture, remaining on the bench throughout.^[3] He also made two appearances in the Polish Cup, finishing the season with a total of 11 appearances across all competitions, as Widzew ended the league campaign mid-table.^[11][2][3]

2024–25 season

In the 2024–25 season, Shehu started the campaign as a substitute, featuring mainly for limited minutes during the opening months. From September onward, however, he established himself once again as a regular starter in midfield, completing numerous full 90-minute appearances and becoming an integral part of Widzew’s setup.^[11]

Over the course of the season, he continued to show consistency and leadership in midfield, contributing both defensively and in build-up play. On 28 February 2025, he scored his first Ekstraklasa goal in a 1–1 draw against Radomiak Radom.^[29] Around a month later, he found the net in three consecutive league matches, contributing to two victories that helped Widzew strengthen their league position.^[3][11] Shehu remained a regular starter and one of the team’s most used players, recording 31 league appearances and scoring four goals. Known for his combative midfield play, he also was booked 11 times during the campaign as Widzew finished 13th in the table.^[2][3][11]

2025–26

In October 2025, after having made 78 appearances and scoring 8 goals for the club, Shehu signed a new long-term contract with Widzew, extending his stay until June 2028 with an option for one additional year.^[30]