Leeds United are in the dreaded situation of now having to prepare for another season in the Championship.
When they first earned promotion back to the Premier League under Marcelo Bielsa, many fans pointed towards how they shouldn’t have put themselves in such a situation when they went back down again.
The Andrea Radrizzani era did produce that memorable promotion, but unfortunately, it’s going to be remembered for relegation and a very bitter ending.
Whilst the now-departed owner will take a lot of stick for Leeds’ situation and the managers that followed. You have to also look at the players.
Some of them are still at the club, others are still on the books but secured loan deals once the team went down, whereas others headed straight for the exit door.
One of them included Weston McKennie after his loan deal to Leeds from Juventus during the January transfer window of 2023.
The 25-year-old’s short spell at Elland Road was a disaster and it’s fair to say that he is now very unpopular with the fans in Yorkshire.
But a return to England could be on the cards for McKennie, with ex-USMNT goalkeeper Tony Meola claiming that he would be an ‘attractive’ proposition in England.
Aston Villa have been suggested as his next possible destination, with Unai Emery’s side preparing for Champions League football, but having to sell Douglas Luiz to balance the books.
Even though McKennie’s spell at Leeds ‘didn’t go well’, Meola is still backing him to thrive if he makes a return to the Premier League, as he told CBS Sports.
Weston McKennie’s loan spell at Leeds United
“There have been rumours about Weston (McKennie) from last pre-season, right,” said Meola. “Then he threw those aside by playing the way that he did. Remember, he went from not going to pre-season with Juventus to being the guy that, week in and week out, is on the teamsheet.
“I think he would be attractive in England, even though it didn’t go well at Leeds. I still think there are qualities to his game that would benefit an English side. When I look at Aston Villa, I am a big Youri Tielemans fan, you are going to have to displace a guy like that.
“The one thing I like about Juventus for Weston, and I was at Coppa Italia at the final, I realised how massive the club is in Italy. You are basically going to assure yourself year in and year out by playing Champions League football. The Scudetto. And he embedded himself in there, to the point, when you turned on the TV that he would be in the starting line-up.”
Weston McKennie to replace Douglas Luiz at Aston Villa
If Villa weren’t in financial threat, then they wouldn’t even consider selling a player like Luiz, who is probably their best player on paper.
But something has got to give and McKennie could be the guy to come in.
READ MORE: Jeff Stelling & Ally McCoist urge Leeds United star to stay despite play-off final loss
The American’s spell at Leeds hasn’t just left a bitter taste in the mouth of those in Yorkshire, but the Villa supporters themselves don’t seem to be keen.
McKennie’s brief time in England has put off a lot of people, so if he does return, then he will have a lot to prove.
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