By George Overhill

2nd Apr, 2023 | 8:10am

Leeds United loanee Weston McKennie set to learn prosecutors' decision by Tuesday ahead of potential Juventus court hearing

A decision is expected on Monday or Tuesday as to whether Leeds United loanee Weston McKennie and fellow Juventus players will face court, Corriere dello Sport reports.

The fallout from allegations that the Serie A giants attempted to counter-balance millions lost due to Covid-19 with “false accounting” is threatening to drag members of the squad at the time into court alongside banned ex-board members, including ex-president and European Super League leader Andrea Agnelli, and the former technical director Fabio Paritici who had to leave his managing director role at Tottenham on Friday as a result (31 March).

The investigation, which is completely refuted on the part of Juventus and their current and former staff, has been assessing whether players whose wages were part of the alleged operation were aware of the fact.

While nothing has been alleged of players at this point, Italy’s Euro 2020-winning captain Giorgio Chiellini is under scrutiny for supposedly having sent a message to teammates in a squad WhatsApp group-chat, reading: “You will receive a sheet in the next few days that is worth everything and nothing.”

As well as McKennie, others whose potential knowledge is being checked out include Paulo Dybala, Leonardo Bonucci, then-manager Maurizio Sarri, and now Spurs man Rodrigo Bentancur.

According to Corriere dello Sport on Friday prosecutors are set to decide on whether players and coaches were aware of the alleged scheme between Monday and Tuesday (3-4 April), having reviewed the contents of the WhatsApp chat.

All are said to have acquired the services of lawyers via their agents, ahead of any potential court hearing.

Waiting game

Next week could be a great relief or a major stress for McKennie, which has the potential to affect his role in the Leeds United squad one of two ways.

If obliged to go to court he faces a month-long ban, which is probably likely to apply to England as well as in Italy after Paratici’s ban was extended to worldwide by FIFA.

The American was also surprisingly dropped from the starting line up to face Arsenal on Saturday (1 April) by Javi Gracia, despite the news that international teammate Tyler Adams is possibly out for the rest of the season.

The Spaniard named a somewhat baffling line-up to head to the Emirates, with Rasmus Kristensen appearing to partner Marc Roca in midfield [Phil Hay, 1 April].

If McKennie isn’t sure of a starting spot over a right back who has struggled overall in his time at Elland Road and a midfielder who arguably offers less in the way of replacing Adams then the loanee does then it perhaps calls into question whether his option to stay on a permanent basis will come about for £30million-plus at the end of the season.

If there is additional disruption to his final weeks of the season via the situation at his parent club then all bets are off.

In other Leeds United news, potential for chronic issues has one pundit fearing heartbreak as injured Whites ace might now never be the same player again.

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