Football
Exclusive: Juve Midfielder Weston McKennie on Premier League Radar for Leeds and West Ham Move
Leeds United and West Ham are eyeing a move for Juventus midfielder Weston McKennie, out of contract next summer. The US international is keen on starring at the World Cup with big-name compatriots and is open to a return to England. Negotiations have stalled but both clubs are interested in signing him to bolster their squads.
Bologna FC 1909 v Juventus FC - Serie A by Marco Mantovani | Getty Images
Leeds United and West Ham are both interested in signing unsettled Juventus midfielder Weston McKennie, SportsBoom can exclusively reveal.
The experienced United States international midfielder is out of contract next summer and has not been offered a new deal by the Italian giants.
And our sources have discovered the Whites and Hammers have been monitoring the 27-year-old’s contract situation and availability in the forthcoming transfer window.
McKennie is looking forward to starring for the US hosts at next summer’s World Cup along big name compatriots, the AC Milan forward Christian Pulisic and Fulham left-back Antonee Robinson.
But he knows his days at the Allianz Stadium with Juve keen to offload him before his current contract expires.
McKennie is now playing his sixth season in Serie A with the Turin-based club and has been a mainstay of the side during that time.
However, negotiations about the midfielder’s release are understood to have stalled after a row erupted over the player’s agent’s commission.
McKennie initially joined Juve on a season-long loan which developed into a £13.9million permanent switch as the club exercised a clause to buy.
He signed for four years with potential bonuses of £5.7million dependant on appearances and performance-related displays.
MOVE TO ENGLAND?
Last year McKennie signed a one-year contract extension to stay in Italy, but our sources understand the midfielder would welcome a move back to England.
He played for Leeds on loan in the 2023 January transfer window and played 19 games for the Yorkshire outfit in the Premier League.
And the Whites would welcome the midfielder back into their ranks as they look to bolster their ranks and avoid relegation back to the Championship this term.
Leeds are also plotting a reunion with Israeli winger Manor Solomon, who is eager to cut short his loan spell at Valencia and return to Elland Road.
The Hammers, who are also enduring a tough top-flight league campaign, have also been looking at a potential deal for McKennie as they look to drag themselves out of the relegation zone.
McKennie, capped 62 times by his country, started his career with Schalke 04, playing 91 games for the German Bundesliga side, before joining Juve, for whom he has now played 203 games – 150 of which have been in Serie A.
Neil has been a journalist for longer than he'd care to remember, having written for national newspapers and respected publications for over 25 years. For the last three years he has worked freelance for BBC Sport, working on the production desk as a sub-editor and also as a writer, covering a whole range of sports.