After a season of ups and downs in which they came so close to finishing in the Champions League places, Tottenham Hotspur have a big summer of transfers ahead.
Ange Postecoglou got off to a flyer in North London, but injuries and a downturn in form saw his side slip down to fifth by the end of the campaign, with star signing James Maddison missing out on a place in the Euros due to his lacklustre performances.
Luckily for him and the manager, the latest player heavily touted for a move to N17 could be the perfect midfielder to help the Englishman rediscover his form and power the Lilywhites back up the table next year.
Tottenham Hotspur transfer news
According to a recent report from Football Insider, Tottenham are interested in Juventus’ star midfielder Weston McKennie, and have already held talks with the Serie A side over his potential move.
Earlier this month, Football Insider claimed that the Lilywhites had ‘jumped ahead’ of Aston Villa and made themselves favourites to secure the American’s signature, and this latest story has revealed that the Villans have ceased their interest in the player over wage demands.
In more good news for the Lilywhites, it looks like they won’t have to pay a great deal for the 25-year-old, as the report claims that further talks have taken place over a £15m fee due to his contract expiring next summer.
It might not be the most exciting name and conjures up images of Leeds United’s relegation in the minds of Premier League fans, but McKennie has been immense for Juventus over the last year and could be the perfect player to play next to Maddison.
Why McKennie would be a great teammate for Maddison
Now, I know McKennie’s last showing in England was, to put it diplomatically, dreadful, but it was a tough stage for him to show his worth.
Brought in by compatriot Jesse Marsch for half a season to try and help the Peacocks fend off relegation in the 2022/23 season, the American looked woefully out of place in England’s top flight, even being called a worse signing than Jean-Kevin Augustin by presenter and Leeds fan Joe Wainman.
However, last season, the USMNT star proved that his poor spell in West Yorkshire was just that, a spell.
Back in Turin, the “dangerous” ace, as Marsch dubbed him, made 38 appearances, 33 of which were starts, provided ten assists, and helped the Old Lady win the Italian Cup – oh, and he also won the CONCACAF Nations League with the US in March.
He’s clearly left quite an impression on people in Italy as well, as former Juventus great Mark Iuliano described him as a player with “a good sense of position” who “never gives up” and, arguably just as important, a player who “puts a lot of heart into it.”
| Weston Mckennie in 23/24 | |
| Appearances | 38 |
| Goals | 0 |
| Assists | 10 |
| Goal Involvements per Match | 0.26 |
| Domestic Trophies | 1 |
| International Trophies | 1 |
| All Stats via Transfermarkt | |
These are the things that would make him the perfect midfielder to play in the left-eight alongside Maddison. His ability to get all over the pitch put out fires, and start attacks would allow the former Foxes star to focus on what he is best at playmaking.
The 27-year-old was on fire in the opening stages of the season, scoring three goals and providing five assists in his first ten full league games, but following his return from injury, he only managed one goal and four assists in 17 games.
It could be a little reductive to blame it on fatigue, but if he has an incredibly mobile player next to him willing to do more of the running, it can only help him in the long term, and according to WhoScored, one of McKennie’s key strengths is his defensive contribution from midfield.
Ultimately, this may not be a move that gets fans out of their seats, but given his performances last season and the incredibly low price, it would make sense for Levy and Co to go ahead and get it done.
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