Leeds at risk of Weston McKennie hijack but Arsenal yet to hold Juventus transfer talks

Leeds at risk of Weston McKennie hijack but Arsenal yet to hold Juventus transfer talks

Leeds are said to have already settled on contract terms with McKennie, while negotiations at club level with Juventus are ongoing after the Whites saw an opening bid rejected earlier this week. However, there is still a danger that Arsenal could swoop in and poach the United States international’s signature in advance of the all-important deadline, according to Ben Jacobs.

READ: Conor Benn’s drugs testing investigation hits snag as Destroyer maintains his innocence

It is said that Arsenal are yet to hold direct talks with Juventus regarding a move for McKennie but it will be important for Leeds to wrap things up quickly in order to prevent the Gunners from hijacking the proposed transfer. Clubs will be keeping a close eye on proceedings in the final few days of the window and there have already been a number of late twists in other deals, with Chelsea muscling in to pinch Mykhaylo Mudryk from under the noses of Arsenal earlier this month.

Juventus are reportedly preparing to offload some of their big-name stars over the next few days after being hit with a 15-point deduction over transfer irregularities, meaning they are unlikely to be playing Champions League football again next season. A price is yet to be agreed between the Italian giants and Leeds, though, with an opening bid of around £24.6m having recently been turned down.

It has been claimed by The Athletic journalist Phil Hay that Leeds are prepared to walk away from the deal if they are made to pay over the odds by Juventus, which suggests that the move is far from done in spite of their agreement with McKennie on personal terms. It remains to be seen whether things will be wrapped up before the end of this month as both parties look to strike a middle ground between now and next week’s deadline.

Leeds will be desperate to add McKennie to their ranks for the right price in order to boost their hopes of achieving Premier League survival, although former Venezuela international Alejandro Moreno has questioned whether the move would be the right one for the Juventus man to make given the current situation at Elland Road.

“On paper, I like the fact Leeds are looking at McKennie,” Moreno told ESPN. “But from the perspective of the player, what happens if Leeds, who have been struggling, and are in a relegation battle, what happens if Leeds don’t stay up?

“What if [Jesse] Marsch leaves? In the long-term, do I want this connection with Marsch to live on? I would be very careful. Juventus to Leeds is a step down. Whatever mess they’ve got, it is still a step down. Think about this very carefully.”