McKennie getting chance to earn new Juve contract

Juventus will reportedly take their time in determining whether or not to give Weston McKennie a fresh contract.

The United States men’s international initially arrived to the Old Lady in a $5 million loan deal from German outfit Schalke in 2020. However, the American’s move became permanent a year later.

After spending three-and-a-half seasons with Juve, McKennie was then sent on loan to Leeds in January. Despite the club being relegated from the Premier League, the midfielder performed fairly well during the spell.

The 25-year-old McKennie then looked almost certain to depart the Serie A side for good during the summer transfer window. Nevertheless, a move never materialized and he is now part of the Italian squad.

McKennie has featured surprisingly heavily for Juve in 2023/24

While McKennie was thought to not be favored by Juve boss Max Allegri, the manager has utilized the American in every top flight game so far this season. The midfielder has started two Serie A matches and entered the fray as a substitute in the other two games.

Allegri confirmed on Friday that McKennie picked up an injury in training earlier this week. However, the coach included the American in his starting lineup on Saturday for their matchup with Sassuolo. McKennie will feature in a wing back role for the game.

Allegri happy with McKennie’s recent play

McKennie’s good start to the season has not gone unnoticed. The Juve manager recently heaped praise on the American during a recent interview. “McKennie can play in central midfield or as a winger,” Allegri told reporters last week. “[He] is becoming reliable. I am happy with how he is training. It’s important for him to remain focused for the entire season.”

The USMNT star’s current contract at Juve will expire in June of 2025. According to reports in Italy, Juve officials don’t yet agree on giving McKennie a new deal. However, the midfielder is at least getting a chance to prove himself with the Italian giants.

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