Leeds United transfer news: ‘Limp’ Weston McKennie deal called into major question by Phil Hay with money set aside
Weston McKennie’s proposed permanent move to Leeds United has been called into major question by Phil Hay amid miserable form for the loanee.
The USMNT midfielder has had a very poor three-game run as the Whites’ have slumped to defeat in every one, off the back of a positive outing in victory over Nottingham Forest on 4 April, struggling badly alongside Marc Roca.
With £30million-plus cash on the table to sign him permanently [90min, 22 March] if the club stay in the Premier League Hay has not been impressed by what he’s seen from the 24-year-old and doubts the deal makes sense after that latest loss at Fulham on Saturday (22 April).
Speaking on The Phil Hay Monday Club podcast with the Square Ball (24 April, 13m 30s) The Athletic journalist said of the central midfield: “It’s not working, it’s too limp, there’s not enough control there.
“McKennie, he had a good game against Forest but I don’t think has been particularly impressive at all since coming in from Juventus, and really begs the question of whether the money that’s set aside to spend on him is a sensible investment at this stage.
“I also don’t think the position that he’s playing in is where you’re going to get the best out of him at all, and it’s hard not to feel on Saturday that you’d love to get Tyler Adams back in that midfield just to give it some more bite, and the presence of somebody whose supposed to be playing as a deep-lying midfielder.”
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There were signs in the Forest win that McKennie and Roca could step up in Adams’ absence but since then the evidence has been pretty damning.
If the injured US captain was available then perhaps his international teammate would be able to flourish in a three as they had done together at the World Cup.
But while there were questions over the level of protection provided to the back line when it was Adams and Roca in place, there seems to be nothing of the sort with the Spaniard and the January arriving running around chasing shadows in the middle.
Javi Gracia has to take some responsibility for the fact that the current pairing is not working yet he continues to send it out unchanged game after game.
But on recent evidence it would be eye-watering to spend over £30million to sign McKennie on a permanent deal, which is a major regression in just a couple of months from it seemingly like a possible transfer coup, and whether it is an obligation or an option is going to be so important now.
The Whites have already spent a club-record fee on one player who is currently offering very little on the pitch in Georginio Rutter, and the idea of doing the same for a second whose body of work is not glittering, shows the transfer plans have not come together.
Max Wober’s signing has proven very sensible, but otherwise the January window has turned out to be far more disappointing that it originally appeared.
In other Leeds United news, a Whites star’s job is now on the line thanks to his teammates amid an alarming crash in his standing.