According to Fichajes, Tottenham Hotspur are in pole position to sign Weston McKennie. Their newly-appointed head coach Antonio Conte has asked the board to snap up the Juventus midfielder in the upcoming January transfer window and it appears Fabio Paratici is more than willing to sanction the move. Juventus expect around €20 million for the services of their star midfielder, which shouldn’t be an issue for the Lilywhites.
Weston McKennie’s Struggles Under Massimiliano Allegri
Weston McKennie has endured a difficult time at Juventus since joining the club from Schalke two seasons ago. While his move from Gelsenkirchen was made permanent at the start of last year, the midfielder has never really managed to live up to his potential.
The youngster struggled with a lack of game-time, while also failing to showcase good form under Andrea Pirlo. His status at Juventus has gone from bad to worse under new manager Massimiliano Allegri.
Although McKennie has featured in nine league matches this season, it is apparent that Allegri favours the likes of Adrien Rabiot, Manuel Locatelli and Rodrigo Bentancur. However, the midfielder is still highly regarded by the club due to his aggression and tenacity, which are complemented by his box to box ability.
Unfortunately, Allegri is looking for more stability rather than tactical versatility. As a result, he is open to the idea of selling McKennie in the upcoming January transfer window, opening up the opportunity for Tottenham to snap him up.
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How Does McKennie Fit Into Tottenham?
The potential addition of Weston McKennie could be an interesting move from Tottenham‘s perspective. While the club does not lack options in the middle of the park, the majority of their midfielders are too one-dimensional and are more suited to the defensive side of the game.
Someone like McKennie, in that regard, could prove to be a breath of fresh air for Conte. His attacking mentality, coupled with his aggression and ability to act as a ball-carrier could combine well with the more defensive-minded figure of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, thus adding another dimension to the Spurs midfield.
The former Schalke prodigy also offers a lot of versatility to the table, as he can operate in a wider midfield role if required. It could help Conte accommodate the American into his tactical set-up more easily. And at the age of just 23, McKennie could indeed be an absolute bargain for Tottenham Hotspur in this upcoming January transfer window.
