Against the background of the latest scandal with Juventus, it was confirmed that the possibility of Weston McKenney’s transfer to Manchester United was discussed.
The US national team player, according to Andrea Agnelli (quoted by Tutto Mercato), was available “if they give us 50 million euros.”
However, United did not want to go that high, instead offering 28 million euros.
When this was deemed unacceptable to Juventus, the Red Devils apparently raised the issue of using Donny van de Beek as a makeweight in the deal.
For Agnelli, this was not a solution, since Juventus does not need a midfielder of Van de Beek’s profile.
In light of Juventus’ 15-point deduction for the “Plusvalenza case” concerning the club’s capital gains violations, one should wonder if United can bring back the 24-year-old.
Serie A’s FIGC Prosecutor has ruled that Juventus will be given a -15 point deduction as result of the “Plusvalenza Case”, club’s capital gain violations 🚨 #Juventus
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 20, 2023
Given that the points deduction is likely to make it virtually impossible for Juventus to qualify for the Europa League next season — let alone the Champions League — it is possible that United’s initial offer of 28 million euros would now look much more attractive to Juventus.
McKenney has been a regular at Juventus this season in midfield, although he has sometimes covered either on the flank or on the right flank.
He also made an impression at the World Cup, helping the USA achieve a goalless draw with the England team, which was considered the favorite.
An energetic midfielder by profession, McKenney could potentially help cover United’s midfield, where players like Christian Eriksen and Casemiro were heavily relied upon given their lack of adequate cover.
However, McKenney’s profile is much more similar to Scott McTominay’s than to either of these two players, and the Juventus midfielder faces many of the same challenges as the United academy graduate.
Although he can be effective in the opponent’s penalty area, he rarely offers much in the build-up, offering very little in terms of progressive passing or dribbling. Perhaps he should do more to be available to his teammates, and he also rarely engages his opponents without the ball.
Even with a discount, Weston McKenney doesn’t look like a player United should add to their midfield.
Adrien Rabiot, the player United negotiated with during the summer transfer window, would probably be much better off if the club were looking for a lucrative midfield deal with the Old Signora. He offers a much more active defense, regularly uses the ball to resist the pressure of the opponent, and is effective in any penalty area.
