Aston Villa are reportedly exploring a possible deal to sign Juventus midfielder Weston McKennie in the January transfer window.
It will be the first opportunity that Villa boss Unai Emery has had to stamp his mark on the squad, and so it promises to be a fascinating few weeks to see who potentially arrives at Villa Park.
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Having had a couple of months now to assess his players and determine where we need to strengthen, it’s hoped that Emery and the club can identify suitable targets who will help to make us more competitive.
When questioned about transfer activity this month, the Spaniard himself told the media last week that we would only sign players who can improve us, and so time will tell if those players are available on the market and offer value for money.
Fabrizio Romano has provided some insight into a possible target for Villa, as he has suggested that we’re exploring a potential deal for McKennie after making initial contact with Juventus.
“Weston McKennie could be one of the players to leave [Juventus],” he told the House of Champions podcast. “There are conversations ongoing with Bournemouth, and also with Aston Villa. There was a call a few days ago to explore the potential conditions of a deal, the value of McKennie is around £17m-£18m, but as always with the January market the price could be different in two weeks.
“This is why English clubs are waiting for the situation of Weston McKennie. Juventus could be open to letting him go if they receive this kind of proposal. There is a good chance for him to leave in January.”
McKennie, 24, would arguably be an excellent addition to the Villa squad to add competition and depth in midfield, as he boasts experience at the top level with Juventus having made 67 Serie A appearances as well as 24 in the Champions League along with his 41 caps for USA.
With his energy, work ethic, versatility and ability to influence the game in both phases, McKennie would bring a number of key attributes to the Villa squad, but time will tell if talks progress to the point where a deal could be possible.
For now, it sounds as though there was merely informal contact made to understand whether or not a deal could be done this month, but as of yet, there’s no indication that Villa are ready to make an official bid to try and prise him away from Turin and one might not be lodged until later in the window.