Why could Juventus sell Weston McKennie?
Robin Bairner
- 17 Dec 2021 20:59 GMT
- 5 min read
Juventus only signed Weston McKennie from Schalke in the summer of 2020, but the possibility of the US international midfielder moving on after 18 months at the club is a very real one.
McKennie has played 16 times for the Turin club this season and has generally been a starter when fit. However, he has missed much of the last month because of a knee problem.
Despite being a relative success story in what has been a difficult season for Juve, he could nevertheless be shipped out in January.
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Newcastle and Tottenham have both been linked with McKennie in recent weeks and the possibility of a move seems very real.
Why would Juventus resort to this with a promising player who is still only 23?
Why is McKennie on the transfer list?
The answer is quite simply because of financial reasons.
Juve posted record wage spending last season and that was not matched by their on-field performance. Indeed, they were lucky to limp into the Champions League on the final day of the season.
With this in mind, they need to restructure their side, which could mean cashing in on high-value players such as McKennie.
Juventus, though, have other midfield priorities to move on before the American. Arthur, Aaron Ramsey and Adrien Rabiot have all been linked with January transfers, though the issue with moving these players on is that they all command hefty wages that a purchasing team is unlikely to be willing to pay.
McKennie, then, offers the balance of being someone that rival clubs will be willing to buy but who is not integral to Juventus’ plans.
Furthermore, there has been rumours that the player’s attitude in training has not always been exemplary, while he does not fit into Massimiliano Allegri’s tactical system neatly.
McKennie, therefore, could leave Juventus for Newcastle or Tottenham if the stars aligned correctly.
