Weston McKennie is now one of Juventus' most important players but, back in the summer, he wasn't even valued enough to have a parking spot!
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Berhalter praises McKennie's resilienceJuve star lost parking spotMidfielder in CONCACAF Nations League squadGettyWHAT HAPPENED?
McKennie headed into the Serie A season on the outside looking in, having failed to impress during his loan spell at Leeds United last season. He returned in the summer and looked set to move on, having been left out of parts of preseason as he awaited a transfer.
It never came to be, with McKennie desperate to prove himself at Juve, and his resiliency has paid off. He's done all of that and more, having emerged as one of the top midfielders not just at Juve, but in Serie A altogether.
However, there was never truly a plan in Italy for him, so much so that the club had not even handed him simple player privileges.
AdvertisementGettyWHAT BERHALTER SAID
"We can't say enough about Weston and his growth over these last years," Berhalter said. "If you think about this, Western was in a situation where he went back to Juventus after the summer and he didn't have a locker and he didn't have a parking spot. Most players would say, 'Okay, I'm done, I'm leaving this club, it's not for me', but Weston said, 'I'm going to dig in and I'm going to prove that I belong'.
"He's done not only that, not only does he belong, but he's proven to be one of the best players at Juventus this year and one of the top midfielders in Serie A. It shows his mentality and his growth as a person and it shows that he's able to take these obstacles and continue on and keep performing. I think that's a marker of a really good player."
GettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE
Gregg Berhalter revealed that, upon his return to the Bianconeri, McKennie's parking spot and player-issued locker had been removed. The Italitan side were pushing for his removal so much so that they acted as if he didn't even exist to a point! However, his performances are showing just how far he has come over the last few months as he's built himself into a player that is one of the first names on the teamsheet for the Old Lady.
Now, ahead of a massive international break, he's being touted for a big, big role.
McKennie will be a key player for the U.S. in the upcoming CONCACAF Nations League, which begins with a semifinal match against Jamaica on March 21. With Tyler Adams still not fully fit, the USMNT midfield will be in focus, with McKennie a locked-in starter with that group.
Whoever is played alongside him, McKennie will be expected to bring his good form with him stateside as he looks to use his confidence from Juventus to lead the U.S. to a third consecutive Nations League final.
GettyWHAT NEXT FOR MCKENNIE?
Before joining up with the USMNT for that CONCACAF Nations League semifinal, McKennie first has some business to take care of with Juventus. The Old Lady are set to play host to Genoa this weekend in their final match before the international break.