Weston McKennie is no stranger to transfer speculation, and the U.S. men’s national team star has found his name in the rumor mill seemingly every summer. The upcoming summer is shaping up to be no different, with a new rumor identifying La Liga as a potential destination.
Juventus is determined to keep Alvaro Morata, who is currently on loan to the Bianconeri from Atletico Madrid, and according to a report from Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo, could send McKennie to Atletico to help pay off a permanent move for Morata.
McKennie joined Juventus on loan from Schalke before the 2020/2021 season, and impressed enough to secure a permanent transfer. He was linked to several English Premier League clubs last summer, with reports suggesting Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri wasn’t a fan of McKennie’s and would therefore move him. No transfer ever materialized though and McKennie eventually established himself as a regular in Allegri’s midfield.
McKennie was in the midst of a solid season for Juventus when he suffered a broken foot in February that was believed at the time to be serious enough to rule him out for the rest of the season. More recent reports suggest McKennie could be back in time for the tail end of Juve’s season.
A move for McKennie would make sense for Atletico Madrid, which is set to lose Mexican national team midfielder Hector Herrera, who is heading to Major League Soccer side Houston Dynamo this summer.
Atletico would give McKennie the opportunity to compete for La Liga titles and continue competing in UEFA Champions League, though it had long been believed that McKennie’s desire was to eventually play in the Premier League. A move to England would most likely mean joining a mid-table team rather than a Champions League team, so McKennie could ultimately have to choose between realizing the dream of playing in England or continuing to compete in Champions League.
It is also a World Cup year, and consistent playing time in the first half of the next European season will be important. McKennie’s quality and versatility has helped him earn regular starting roles at both Schalke and Juventus, and could find a good fit playing for highly-respected Atletico manager Diego Simeone.
What do you think of this development? Like the idea of McKennie playing for Atletico? Hoping he makes a move to the Premier League instead? Or do you see him staying at Juventus for another season?
Share your thoughts below.
Ugh!
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Atleti are grim, sterile, and backward-looking, and currently _not_ better than Juve. Right?
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Surely McKennie could do better. (What about Leeds? Or any EPL team?)
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Agreed. Atletico are a well organized but mostly ugly team to watch and have had a comparatively mediocre season (disputable that they have been any better than Juve). Simeone is undoubtedly a great manager but he demands a certain level of trust/loyalty that might result in Weston playing very sparingly in his first 2-3 months there. Big risk given the World Cup timing.
Tejana – That was my initial reaction. Gary and TX think it would be a good move. I think he is staying at Juventus.
Nothing wrong, it seems to me, to play for Athletico Madrid. Right now they are probably a better side than Juventus and they seem to always at least make the final 16 in Champions League, and usually do better than that.
Right on! Athleti is a better team at the moment AND have a consistent and coherent way to play the game … which, TBH, Juve could only wish for.