George Overhill

Sat 1 April 2023 13:10, UK

A Juventus players’ WhatsApp group is being investigated that could send Leeds United loanee to court alongside banned ex-Tottenham managing director Fabio Paratici, Corriere dello Sport reports.

The former Juventus technical director took an “immediate leave of absence” from his Spurs role on Friday (31 May) after his ban stemming from the ongoing capital gains scandal in Turin was extended worldwide.

He, along with ex-chairman Andrea Agnelli and former vice-president Pavel Nedved, have been banned by FIFA over accusations of false accounting at the Allianz Stadium and are already set for a court hearing, but prosecutors are now looking into whether players were also complicit.

Juventus dispute all suggestions that they attempted to counteract losses during the Covid-19 seasons with “false invoicing”, but if players, including those who have since moved on such as McKennie, are deemed to have been aware of the alleged system they could also be banned [Corriere dello Sport, 30 March].

Now central to this element of the investigation is a “JuventusTeam” WhatsApp group chat, with former captain Giorgio Chiellini under particular scrutiny as he is alleged to have sent his teammates the message: “You will receive a sheet in the next few days that is worth everything and nothing.”

High stakes

McKennie seems to be at the centre of every complex situation going at the moment, and that includes the major upheaval at the Serie A side.

If Leeds United stay in the Premier League it is expected that the club will make his loan move to Elland Road a permanent arrangement.

That in itself isn’t even straight forward with no clause actually in his contract but the agreement apparently done based on the word of the club.

His role has become far more important with the news that Tyler Adams has had hamstring surgery and may be out for the rest of the season, giving the US international a much greater opportunity to have an impact on the team in his American teammate’s absence.

And his presence in West Yorkshire may even have a bearing on Juventus’ interest in making a move for Willy Gnonto, with the channels of communication open thanks to his move.

But whether his future with the Whites is set to be effected by the fallout from the Juventus situation remains to be seen, as prosecutors have to decide whether players are even due to face charges before he would be obliged to defend himself, but a ban would be an unwelcome complication, just as Spurs have found out.

In other Leeds United news, multiple Premier League rivals have now launched a late hijack on an Elland Road transfer move.

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