Juventus’ “Plan A” this summer is to complete the sale of Weston McKennie to Leeds United in order to finance their immediate future, according to Gazzetta dello Sport.
The American midfielder arrived to a fair amount of fanfare in the January transfer window but has struggled increasingly as the club’s fortunes fell apart under Javi Gracia.
There is some debate over whether it is an option or an obligation to buy him but it is clear that the plan from the Italian side is for him to remain at Elland Road as they are trying to “cut costs”.
Any permanent deal is contingent on the Whites staying in the Premier League though, which is currently very much in the balance with just three games left to play and the club in the relegation zone.
Wishful thinking
It is starting to look like the Old Lady is going to have to move onto Plan B because unless McKennie and his teammates can turn things around in a big way over the final matches of the season Leeds United will be in no position to splash £30million-plus on anyone.
There were some encouraging signs a number of weeks back, but on the miserable run that saw Gracia fired and Sam Allardyce come in there has been little to suggest the club would be minded to complete the deal either way.
So the exact nature of the January agreement will become extremely important if the latest manager can pull off a great escape, as the Whites have already got one loan-to-buy saga going on over Jean-Kevin Augustin.
The Elland Road hierarchy dispute it but so far the authorities have essentially ruled that they tried to pull a fast one and slip out of that deal unjustly, which is currently set to come back and bite them to the tune of £40million in total.
Forking out more than three quarters of that on McKennie after the spell he has had so far at Leeds would be uncomfortable, but if the club stay up it might be a small price to pay.
The hope would have to be that whoever the next manager through the doors is has a more suitable tactical set up, as the two-man base has not looked particularly suited to anyone this season.
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