Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly been told to fork out €35 million to secure a January deal for Juventus midfielder Weston McKennie.
According to Calciomercato, Juventus are seeking at least €35 million from suitors for midfielder Weston McKennie. Tottenham Hotspur are interested in the USMNT star and could make a move next month with Director of Football Fabio Paratici keen to raid his former club to bring in reinforcements and help out new boss Antonio Conte in January.
The Bianconeri have no plans to sell their all-action midfielder next month, especially on the back of recent resurgence. McKennie would be staying put had it been down to Allegri, but with Juventus in a difficult financial situation and in need of funds to bring in new signings, they would be open to outstanding offers in the region of at least €35 million as the 23-year-old is still not considered a completely indispensable commodity.
The Old Lady have reportedly placed a combined €70 million price tag on the duo of Dejan Kulusevski and Weston McKennie, with each player valued at €35 million. Juventus will not entertain a deal below that figure, with the club aiming to recoup their investment and make a little profit on both.
Tottenham are enjoying a decent new manager bounce under Antonio Conte and transformation is apparent, with the Italian coach’s training methods working wonders at the north London outfit. There were glimpses of a prime Conte side in their recent games against Liverpool and Crystal Palace.
However, despite the upturn in performances, it is said that the Italian boss is aware of the lack of quality depth in the squad and is demanding backing from the Tottenham board to strengthen the roster in several departments as he looks to guide the team to a top-four spot.
The Spurs boss wants to bolster his midfield options, especially with the futures of Harry Winks, Dele Alli and Tanguy Ndombele up in the air. Conte is a big admirer of McKennie’s talents and versatile nature and understands the player would fit in well with his style of play.
McKennie had a rocky start to this campaign at Juventus, with poor performances coupled with off-field issues. However, the American had been in great form lately, before sustaining an unfortunate knee injury. In total, the 28-capped USMNT international has produced 8 goals and 3 assists from 38 starts in all competitions for the Serie A giants.
The 23-year-old is a real goal-scoring threat, and with talismanic striker Harry Kane tending to drop off to create chances by utilizing his exceptional passing skills, McKennie could be the one getting on the end of things with his well-timed runs into the box. Defensively, he boasts a decent work rate and presses intensely, suiting Conte’s football demands. Overall, he would be a reliable option to call upon for the Lilywhites.
Although the asking price is a hefty one, the report adds that Paratici can utilize his past connections to get the deal done for a cheaper fee than the abovementioned price despite facing stiff competition from Aston Villa and West Ham. Only time will tell whether the USMNT sensation leaves Juventus or ends up staying put.