Weston McKennie is now officially a member of Leeds United. He teams with fellow US internationals Tyler Adams and Brenden Aaronson under the leadership of Jesse Marsch. The deal is a loan deal until the end of the season with an option to buy for the Elland Road club.
Leeds paid just $1.5m to loan McKennie from Juventus. However, the permanent option at the end of the loan is around $37m if Leeds avoid relegation and McKennie plays 10 or more times. McKennie is a natural replacement for Mateusz Klich in midfield. The Polish international transferred to DC United this January. Although, to be fair, Klich has only come off the bench in 14 Premier League games this season.
That leaves a midfield contingent of Tyler Adams, Marc Roca and Wilfried Gnoto in a more attacking role. McKennie could fill in for any of those three. At the World Cup, he played midfield three with Adams and Yunus Musah. Therefore, he is used to playing in a busy midfield. However, at Juventus, he played wide open on a few occasions.
Whatever his role at Leeds, Weston McKennie enters a high-pressure time for the club. Still alive in the FA Cup, Leeds are back in the bottom half of the table fighting for survival. Leeds currently sit 15th, one point above 18th-placed Bournemouth. Leeds have a game pending.
Leeds have crucial games when Weston McKennie arrives
McKennie is likely to make his Leeds United debut as soon as this Sunday’s match against Nottingham Forest (live on USA Network and fuboTV) at 9am ET. The talented American midfielder has been given the number 28 jersey.
Following the relegation battle between Nottingham Forest and Leeds, the Yorkshire clubs face back-to-back games against Manchester United on 8 and 12 February.
Jesse Marsch hopes McKennie can make an instant impact. Outside of United games, three of the next five games are not only winnable, but may be necessary to win. Nottingham Forest are three points ahead of Leeds in the table. The two games after United home and away are at Goodison and at home to Southampton. Those are the bottom two teams in the league. That presents a great opportunity to pick up six points and get some breathing room from the bottom half of the table.
PHOTO: IMAGO / Independent Photo Agency
