Will McKennie change his Juventus fate again?
Weston McKennie has been in and out at Juventus, and even though his contract expires in June, his performances under new coach Luciano Spalletti suggest the American could still have a future in Turin.
McKennie first joined Juventus in the summer of 2020, and the USMNT international has experienced several highs and lows with the Old Lady.
The versatile midfielder even left the club in January 2023 to join Leeds United on loan, but returned to the Allianz Stadium six months later.
The surge in viewers accessing games via VPN servers in the United States reflects Serie A’s growing appeal to American audiences, and McKennie has surely contributed to the league’s increasing popularity.
Barely a year ago, McKennie’s Juventus future seemed on the brink once more as he had been frozen out of the team, given his reluctance to extend a new contract beyond 2026. Ultimately, Juventus and McKennie shook hands over a new deal, but now that agreement is coming to an end.
Several reports in Italy claim that agent fees are currently blocking negotiations between the two parties, but both the midfielder’s agent and his father have denied those reports.
“I normally don’t respond to social media posts, but when false information is being spread, especially from verified handles, I have to intervene,” wrote McKennie’s representative Cory Gibbs at the end of December.
“This is Weston’s agent and I can confirm everything below is FALSE. Know your facts before spreading lies and propaganda.”
Gibbs had shared a post on X social media, which claimed McKennie would not extend his Juventus contract due to agent fees, leading to a possible MLS transfer over the summer.
In the meantime, McKennie has become a regular starter under Spalletti, scoring four goals and providing four assists in 15 appearances across all competitions.
Technically, McKennie starts as a right midfielder, but his versatility allows him to move all over the final third to create chances for the Old Lady, and his contribution in recent games has not gone unnoticed.
“When out of possession, McKennie operates wide, behind Conceiçao and is tasked with tracking the most advanced opposing player on that side: Cambiaghi against Bologna, or Wesley against Roma,” ex-Inter coach Andrea Stramaccioni recently argued.
“When Juventus have the ball, the Texan cuts inside centrally and turns into an additional attacking player behind the main striker, occupying a sharp position.
“Spalletti has solved one of Tudor’s tactical issues. He [Tudor] had been using Kalulu as a right wing-back, Luciano has continued with a 3-4-2-1 system, but has already added plenty of his own ideas.”
Whether all this will lead to a new contract for McKennie remains to be seen, but surely the American is doing all he can to prove his worth in Turin.