United States head coach Gregg Barhalter has spoken of his respect for Weston McKennie amid the midfielder's return to stardom at Juventus.
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McKennie was loaned out to LeedsIs a key player at Juve once againResurgence has impressed BerhalterWHAT HAPPENED?
After a strong first season with the Serie A giants, McKennie's career in Italy took a dip, resulting in him being loaned to Leeds, where he failed to inspire as the English team were relegated from the Premier League. He returned to Juve last summer, however, and has managed to establish himself as a key figure under Massimiliano Allegri, much to Berhalter's delight.
AdvertisementGettyWHAT BERHALTER SAID
"I think people [in the squad] have a lot of respect for Weston. I don’t think it gets said enough how he is able to deal with things like that," Berhalter told reporters.
He added: "When you talk about this negative energy or negative attention, I mean, he’s dealt with it all. He’s a guy that doesn’t have a place in the [Juventus] team, and fights his way back into being not only a starter, but one of the most important members of the team. It says a lot about him, [it] says a lot about his character and his competitive spirit."
THE BIGGER PICTURE
McKennie has faced his share of difficult times with the USMNT, too. He was sent home from a training camp for violating Covid-19 precautions in 2021, but managed to claw his way back into Berhalter's good graces before long. He is once again seen as an important part of the team and will likely be called up to the Copa America squad this summer if he continues his positive performances for the Bianconeri.
GettyWHAT NEXT FOR MCKENNIE?
The 25-year-old has featured 23 times in Serie A this season and will likely add another appearance to his record when they take on Hellas Verona on Saturday. Juve are currently second in the league but trail leaders Inter by seven points, and the Nerazzurri have a game in hand.