Aston Villa have reportedly identified Juventus midfielder Weston McKennie as their transfer priority in the winter transfer window.
According to The Sun, Weston McKennie’s time at Juventus could soon be over as, with the midfielder told to find a new club as soon as possible. The 23-year-old was linked with an exit from the Serie A club this summer, but a move did not materialise.
Aston Villa were one of the clubs interested in his services. But after missing out on him, they are not willing to give up hope and have identified him as a priority transfer in the upcoming winter transfer window.
The Premier League club is already preparing a new deal for the former Schalke midfielder, who has fallen in the pecking order after the arrival of Manuel Locatelli. It appears new coach Massimiliano Allegri does not rate the 23-year-old highly and rather prefers the likes of Locatelli and Rodrigo Bentancur.
It opens up an ideal opportunity for Aston Villa to snap him up in January. The American international should provide some much-competition to the likes of John McGinn, Douglas Luiz and Jacob Ramsey in the middle of the park. He does also provide a lot of experience at the highest level of football, having featured in a combined total of over 120 matches in Bundesliga and Serie A.
The Villans have not been shy in the market this term, snapping up talents like Emi Buendia, Leon Bailey and Danny Ings during the summer transfer window. However, they are ailing with the departure of Jack Grealish, whose record-breaking transfer to Manchester City has created a massive void in Aston Villa’s creative department.
McKennie could be a smart investment, in that respect. The USMNT star is not a direct replacement for Grealish, but his ball-carrying ability, combined with his aggression and athleticism could be the missing piece that will help Aston Villa unleash the best out of their other investments in Bailey, Buendia and Ings.
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However, Dean Smith’s side should face stiff competition in the pursuit of McKennie, whose pedigree at the highest level of football should attract a number of top clubs across Europe. The key for Aston Villa, therefore, will be to perform well in the Premier League during the first half of the campaign and paint a promising picture to the Juventus star.