Over the Summer, Juventus urged Weston McKennie to leave during the transfer window. He stayed, and his recent success on the pitch made waves in Max Allegri’s starting selection.
The previous season was difficult for the American. His failed loan at Leeds did not move the needle. As a result, Juventus made him available for sale over the summer of 2023. Nonetheless, he fared very well in preseason and is now a mainstay in Juventus’ starting lineup.
English clubs and several German sides had an interest in signing McKennie this summer. Still, he remained with Turin. He has played a total of 527 minutes this season over eight Serie A games, all under Massimiliano Allegri’s tutelage.
The player’s fortunes have completely turned around, and it is incredible to see it happen so quickly. In fact, the 25-year-old and his countryman Timothy Weah have been vying for the same position at the Old Lady.
Upon moving to Italy during the previous transfer window, experts viewed Weah as a top option to start in the right wing-back position. He even stepped into that position to begin the season after impressing the management in preseason.
But in recent games, McKennie has been used instead, forcing Weah to the bench. Allegri is said to have made this sudden adjustment to strengthen the midfield by taking advantage of the former Schalke ace’s adaptability.
Recently, McKennie has discussed with La Gazzetta dello Sport his motivation to succeed at Juventus: “Sometimes football is strange. I really wanted to stay in Turin to be able to demonstrate that I was still capable of making a difference at this level.
“During the preparation, I worked very hard. I’m not the type to hide when criticism or doubts about me come, on the contrary, these things motivate me even more. Now I’m happy to have given some answers.”
Consequently, the Bianconeri hope to keep McKennie under contract through 2025, per Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport. The player was expendable at one point to improve the club’s financial condition. Now, he is a crucial cog in the machine.
PHOTO: IMAGO / Marco Canoniere
