Best Weston!
BOSS MARSCH CAN’T WAIT TO UNLEASH ‘NO-BRAINER’ NEW SIGNING McKENNIE
JESSE MARSCH did plenty of homework before signing Weston McKennie and reckons he can be the perfect fit for the ‘Leeds United States of America’.
The 24-year-old Juventus and USA midfielder has arrived in a deal that will allow the Whites to buy him in June.
He joins America team-mates Tyler Adams and Brenden Aaronson at Elland Road, and could make his debut at Nottingham Forest today.
Marsch, a former USA international, said of his compatriot: “Weston and I had met as acquaintances a couple of times but it’s not as if we knew each other.
“When Weston’s name was discussed in terms of having him here, I always do my homework and that means talking to people who know him, have played with him, are close to him or coached him.
“What I heard about Weston was ‘great guy, a great team-mate, a competitor, confident’.
“When I then spoke to him what I learned was that he was hungry, had a desire to improve and a belief that he has done well in his career but that he has so much more to achieve and learn.
“After I combined all that with watching him over the years, signing
Weston became a no-brainer.
“To be honest it’s a transfer we should be proud of at Leeds United because bringing in a player like him, from Juventus, is a tribute to us as a club.
“We want to grow our stature but in terms of where we are now it’s a big signing – and I think he’s going to help us a lot.”
The Yorkshire giants’ nickname ‘Leeds United States of America’ grew stronger on Monday night when McKennie arrived.
Asked about the Americanisation of Leeds,
Marsch reasoned: “It’s funny that it’s worked out this way.
“It would have been easy to go after him and bring James
Milner back for Premier League experience or other veteran players who understand the league.
“But in some ways it’s a little bit brave in what we’re doing – you could say risky.
“Six months ago I wouldn’t have thought Weston would be an option or necessarily the right fit, but given where we were, I felt he was the perfect guy.
“He was always on our list and he was the right time for the right fit.”
Marsch has been heavily backed in the transfer market this month with the acquisition of £35.5million club record signing Georginio Rutter from German club Hoffenheim and defender Max Wober from Red Bull Salzburg for around £11m.
The boss from Wisconsin, who could hand Rutter his Premier League bow today, added: “We believe in building a process where we’re going to pick up some good young players but get them at a price which still makes sense in our budget.
“We’re going to help them to become Premier League stars and in the process help this club get bigger and stronger.”