USMNT star Weston McKennie explains how he benefited from ‘bad showing’ & letting ‘some people down’ at Leeds ahead of fresh start at Juventus

The all-action midfielder headed to the Premier League in January 2023 in a bid to rediscover his spark and embrace a new challenge. Things did not play out as planned, with relegation suffered while at Elland Road before returning to parent club Juventus with serious questions being asked of his future.

McKennie has told EightbyEight of taking important lessons from a testing spell in England: “I’m someone who always tries to think positively. I believe in God, I believe there’s always a plan, there’s a journey that’s set out for you, and everything happens for a reason. So, I still view my move to Leeds as a step forward for me. It might not be in other people’s eyes. But I think that’s what I needed at that time in my career. Every player can get a little bit complacent and comfortable with what they’re doing. I think going to Leeds and having the experience I had there, I may have let some people down. I may have let some fans down who supported Leeds and believed in me.”

While McKennie found the going tough at Leeds, those struggles made him stronger and even more determined to prove his worth back in Turin. The 25-year-old added: “When I left Leeds, I knew I had a bad showing. I knew I didn’t have the time that I thought I was going to have or that maybe I should have had. It put me in a mindset that when I came back here to Juventus, I was starting brand new. I’m going back to Juventus like it’s my first time. I have to prove myself all over again.”

McKennie has earned the trust of Juve boss Massimiliano Allegri, who has been putting his versatility to good use this season, and there has been talk of the United States international earning an extension to a contract that is due to expire in 2025.