Leeds to make McKennie the second most expensive American ever

Suraj Radia

• 30 Jan 2023 18:40 GMT
• 2 min read

Weston McKennie has joined Leeds United in a move that could make him the second-most expensive American footballer of all time.

The 24-year-old has signed on loan from Juventus for an initial fee of $1.3 million and Leeds have the option to make the move permanent for a further $35.8m, rising to $43.5m including add-ons.

The total amount would make McKennie more expensive than Leeds teammates Brenden Aaronson and Tyler Adams, both who signed last summer for $30.2m and $24.1m respectively.

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The most expensive transfer of an American player was Christian Pulisic’s 2019 move from Dortmund to Chelsea, which cost $65m, however McKennie’s total fees across his career could eclipse that amount if Leeds sign him permanently.

McKennie cost Juventus $22.5m in 2021 when he signed from Schalke 04 and the potential $43.5m move to Leeds could take his total to $66m, $1m more than Pulisic’s transfer.

Sergino Dest is another player who could be one of the most expensive American players ever, having cost Barcelona $23.1m in 2020 and with Milan having the option to sign him permanently for $21.7m in the summer, having brought him in on loan last year.

McKennie gets his move

McKennie joins Leeds despite being a regular part of Juventus’ first team, having played in 15 of their 20 Serie A games this season.

The midfielder was considered expendable by the club after inconsistent form left Juve questioning his suitability for Italian football, prompting enquiries from a host of Premier League sides.

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Leeds are believed to have beaten Nottingham Forest to the deal, with McKennie believed to be keen on linking up with his USMNT teammates Aaronson and Adams as well as manager Jesse Marsch.

McKennie is known for his versatility, having featured in defence and up front during his career as well being utilised in several midfield roles.

He scored eight goals in 65 games for Juve and featured for the United States at the 2022 World Cup, adding four caps to his total of 41.