In a recent report, Tuttosport claimed that Aston Villa want to recruit Juventus midfielder Weston McKennie who is currently playing on loan at Leeds United. It has been mentioned that the Villans’ head coach Unai Emery is a huge admirer of the American sensation.
McKennie’s Impressive Loan Spell At Leeds So Far
McKennie is having a decent loan spell at Elland Road as he has successfully managed to establish himself as a useful member of Leeds’ match-day squad. The 24-year-old has made eight appearances for the Whites this season but is yet to open his goal-scoring account for the club.
The talented midfielder has given a good account of himself when anchoring the midfield for his team by averaging 1.3 tackles, 0.9 interceptions and 2.0 clearances per game in Premier League football. He has even been tidy when interchanging possession with his teammates after completing 81.4% of his attempted passes in league football (stats via whoscored).
His current contract at his parent club, Juventus, is set to expire in the summer of 2025. Thus, the Villans will have to make a sizable offer if they want to land McKennie at the end of this season.
What Will McKennie Bring To Aston Villa?
McKennie can anchor the midfield with conviction for his side as he is usually quick to spot the danger and doesn’t mind putting his foot through the ball when the opposition are on the offensive. He is a good tackler of the ball and can make a few timely interceptions at the centre of the park. McKennie can also make some driving runs with the ball from midfield when he is playing regularly and with confidence on the field.
The United sensation is a good passer of the ball as well but needs to find a way to improve his productivity in the final third. He mainly plays as a box-to-box midfielder but can also fill in as a defensive midfielder or as a right-sided wide player when his manager tells him to do so.
At 24, McKennie has got his prime years ahead of him which makes him a good choice for the Villans to consider in the summer. We can expect him to bring more energy and dynamism to Unai Emery’s midfield department at Aston Villa. Thus, the West Midlands club would be wise to focus all their attention to acquire the services of the United States midfield ace during the summer transfer period.
