Weston McKennie signs new deal with Juventus: How USMNT star proved himself again (and again, and again)

The much anticipated news is now confirmed. American international Weston McKennie signed a new deal with Juventus, the Italian club announced. McKennie, who joined Juventus in 2020, signed a new deal with the Old Lady valid until the summer 2030 and will be part of the squad for the coming years after the parties have agreed on a new contract, as the current deal was due in the summer 2026, when McKennie could leave Juventus as a free agent. 

The relationship between the American player and the Italian club hasn't always been easy, as McKennie was close to leaving Serie A at least two summer transfer windows in a row, and also joined Leeds United on loan from January to June 2023. However, after an exciting start to the 2025-26 season, especially since Luciano Spalletti was appointed as the new head coach, Juventus finally understood he was a crucial player for the team in the short and long term, and decided to offer him a new deal. 

Two difficult years 

Since McKennie joined Juventus from Schalke 04 ahead of the 2020-21 season, he immediately became a key player under the Juventus managers he had, starting from Andrea Pirlo. In his first season with the Old Lady, he scored a total of six goals in 46 matches played in all competitions, followed by four goals in 29 matches and then three goals in the first part of the 2022-23 season under Massimiliano Allegri before he joined Leeds United on loan until the end of the Premier League season. The Italian coach seemingly failed to fully recognize his qualities and the value his versatility could bring to the team, a surprising decision, especially considering Allegri's approach in recent years. When he came back from the loan spell in England, he faced a challenging pre-season tour as he was initially excluded from the squad, but then re-integrated after some injuries affected the roster. 

This is when Allegri understood he was a player who could help the team, and McKennie had a really positive season playing 38 matches, even without scoring, but playing with more regularity under the Italian coach. Despite becoming a key player for Juventus, new manager Thiago Motta and sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli once again made it clear during the next pre-season that he was not part of their plans. They even attempted to include him in a swap deal with Aston Villa involving Douglas Luiz, a move the American player rejected. Since then, McKennie has become, once again, a key player under both Motta and Igor Tudor, scoring five goals in 48 matches over the 2024-25 season. However, Juventus never really started a conversation on a new deal until the last year of his contract, when both the Spalletti and the new management team led by Damien Comolli and Giorgio Chiellini offered him a new deal, understanding his importance for the team and in the dressing room.

Why Juventus need McKennie

If McKennie proved to be a key player for the Bianconeri, it's not only because of his qualities as a player, but also his versatility. The current Juventus head coach, Luciano Spalletti, underlined multiple times this season the importance of the American player, who can guarantee him a solid outcome in multiple positions on the pitch. Across 220 appearances for the Old Lady, McKennie featured 108 times in midfield, 42 matches as a right winger, and 23 games as a number ten behind the strikers. He was also deployed 17 times on the left wing, seven times at left-back, and four as a defensive midfielder. 

He also made two appearances as an attacking right winger, two at right-back, and even filled in once as a central striker and once as a second striker, something Spalletti underlined ahead of the first leg of the Champions League playoff against Galatasaray. "He is a perfect central striker. He fights, he's strong in the air and he can jump high. He plays to get results because he makes decisions. He would be a perfect striker." It's not clear yet what will happen with Spalletti, who also has a contract running out in the summer. He's probably the coach who understood the most the potential of the American player, but it's clear that Juventus have finally recognized there was no more time to waste. Offering a new contract feels like the right and deserved decision for a player who has consistently proven himself over the past few years at the club.