Why Weston McKennie would be a fantastic fit at Southampton
According to The Express, Southampton are leading the race to sign Schalke and USA star Weston McKennie in the summer.
McKennie, 21, spent time at the academies of Phonix Otterbach and FC Dallas before joining Schalke’s youth system in 2016. After excelling with the German outfit’s U19 side, he was promoted to the club’s senior set-up in the summer of 2017. Since then, he has been a regular member of the squad.
Though he couldn’t make an impact initially, the youngster has been in sensational form this season and his impressive performances have attracted the attention of several English teams. Premier League clubs like Leicester City, Everton, Newcastle United and Wolves are interested in signing McKennie, as per the report.
The report also suggests that The USA international has set his sights on playing in England, and thus, Southampton must secure his services at the earliest.
McKennie could be a replacement for Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg in Southampton’s midfield
One key area the manager should focus on strengthening is the midfield. At the moment, five attack-minded midfielders are available at the manager’s disposal. James Ward-Prowse has been a key member of the squad, featuring in every league game this term. But youngsters Moussa Djenepo and Will Smallbone are yet to establish themselves in the starting XI.
The other midfielder in the squad is Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, who was stripped of the captaincy towards the end of the campaign. The Danish international is on the verge of an exit and his departure could leave the Saints with limited options in midfield. Thus, signing an energetic midfielder would do them a world of good.
In that regard, signing McKennie would be a fantastic move by the club. The USA ace is in a rich vein of form and has excelled for the German outfit this term. He has also scored 3 goals in 28 Bundesliga games this term despite playing in a deeper role. He is one of the most talented midfielders in the German top-flight and is an excellent box-to-box midfielder.
He could be a future replacement for Hojbjerg and if he is able to continue with the fine form, he would be a crucial addition to Hasenhuttl’s squad. His inclusion would also provide them with some much-needed depth and he can also go on to represent them in the long run.
Read more
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Verdict
A dynamic midfielder, McKennie is just 21 and has a lot of room for development. Given the situation of Hojbjerg, it is clear that Southampton need to rope in midfielders to bolster their squad. Thus, signing the USA international would be a wise decision by the club.
