Weston McKennie appears to be on his way to English Premier League side Leeds United, according to multiple reports.
Leeds have been among several teams in talks Juventus for a transfer of the 24-year-old midfielder, starter and key player of the USMNT squad that reached the knockout phase of the 2022 World Cup.
According to The Athletic, Leeds and Juventus have a verbal agreement over the transfer, and McKennie has also agreed personal terms with the EPL. The deal will initially be a loan, with Leeds having the option to buy McKennie’s services permanently in the summer.
McKennie would join an already heavily USMNT-influenced, star-studded Leeds roster Tyler Adams i Brendan Aaronson being key players in the squad. The club’s coach, Jess Marsch, played in the United States from 2000 to 2007. The American ownership group 49ers Enterprises, which owns the San Francisco 49ers of the NFL — He is also expected to do so take over the club in 2024.
In terms of the size and stature of the club, Leeds would technically be a break for McKennie, but overall competition in the Premier League would be better for McKennie’s development, especially if he is a first-team regular like he is at Juventus. It is also worth noting that Juventus are in a state of danger after that be penalized with 15 points by the Italian football federation for his transfers. Before the penalty, Juventus were third in Serie A; they are now in the bottom half of the league.
The January transfer window closes at 6pm ET on January 31st. Given the current state of Juventus and the level of interest in McKennie, a transfer makes sense for McKennie in this window, either to Leeds or elsewhere in the Premier League.
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