Schalke’s sporting director Jochen Schneider has issued a coy response to claims that Weston McKennie is in talks over a £20 million move to Southampton, while speaking to Sport1.
With one of the biggest clubs in German football counting the cost of an ongoing financial crisis, it looks for all the world that their all-American action man has played his final game in royal blue.
McKennie was even left out of Schalke’s humiliating 3-1 pre-season defeat to Uerdingen last week.
WAZ claim that the Bundesliga’s perennial underachievers were fearful of an injury which would block them from cashing in on their most sellable asset.
Southampton began talks over a £20 million deal last week, with McKennie setting his sights on following close friend and USA team-mate Christian Pulisic to the Premier League (Sky).
Not that Schneider was willing to give much away when discussing that much-talked-about move to St Mary’s for the Texan-born defensive midfielder.
“We’ll have to wait and see with Weston,” he says.
The Birmingham Mail add that McKennie has made it clear to Aston Villa that he would be open to a move to the Midlands too, with the 21-year-old’s versatility making him a potentially inspired addition to a team which avoided relegation by a single point last season.
A McKennie-Douglas Luiz partnership could provide the protection required for an error-prone defence, while giving Jack Grealish the freedom he requires to wreak havoc in the final third.
The 19-time international can also fill in effectively at right-back if required.
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