Tottenham Hotspur Encouraged to Secure £15m Former Leeds United Player to Pair with Archie Gray

Tottenham Hotspur are being encouraged to pursue Weston McKennie this summer, formerly of Leeds United. McKennie is reportedly available for £15 million after failing to reach an agreement on a new contract with Juventus.

Having rejuvenated his career at Juventus following a challenging stint at Leeds, where the team was relegated from the Premier League, McKennie has become a pivotal player once again. However, with just one year remaining on his contract and reports of rejecting a new deal, Juventus are eager to offload him.

While Tottenham are among several clubs linked with McKennie, their imminent deal to sign Archie Gray from Leeds United raises questions about whether they will also pursue McKennie. The reported £40 million expenditure on Gray indicates he is part of Ange Postecoglou’s plans for the upcoming season.

Former Spurs player Alan Hutton believes McKennie is worth considering despite his difficulties at Leeds.

“He’s possibly worth a punt,” Hutton told Tottenham News. “I wasn’t overly excited when there was talk of him possibly joining Aston Villa, but I remembered his time at Leeds. I know it was a struggling team that got relegated, and under Jesse Marsch, it didn’t quite work out for him. However, he returned to Juventus and had a solid season.”

“At Juventus, he played a significant number of matches, so it could be something Tottenham consider. He suits playing for a bigger team where he can get on the ball, make tackles, initiate attacks, and more. With better players around him, he performs better.”

McKennie, currently competing in the Copa America with the US national team, made 20 appearances for Leeds during his loan spell from Juventus. His time at the club was tumultuous, starting with a loss under Jesse Marsch, who was subsequently dismissed, followed by spells under three more managers before the season’s end.

Last season, McKennie featured in 38 matches for Juventus and contributed to their Coppa Italia victory. However, Juventus’ recent €50 million acquisition of Douglas Luiz suggests McKennie’s place in the team may be uncertain.