USMNT midfielder Weston McKennie is keen to join his good friend Christian Pulisic in the Premier League and has been talking about a transfer from Schalke.
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McKennie, 21, spoke to Goal about the return of the Bundesliga next Saturday and revealed that although he’s happy at Schalke, the plan is to transfer to the Premier League in the coming years.
“For me, the next target is England. It has always been my dream to play in the Premier League. I want to join a club that is fighting for a place in Europe: the Champions League or the Europa League. For now, I am happy in Schalke because I can play,” McKennie said.
The former FC Dallas academy product has flourished into a regular at Schalke in the Bundesliga and is set to be a key player for the USMNT in the next decade, with Pulisic and Tyler Adams. He has Champions League experienced with Schalke and is helping them push for a top six finish this season, with his versatility a big positive for David Wagner’s side.
If he did move, which Premier League club would be a good fit for McKennie?
He is versatile, not scared of sticking his foot in to make a challenge and is calm on the ball and overall he’s one of those players who makes you think: ‘you know what, his game is suited to playing in England.’
A transfer to an Everton, Crystal Palace or West Ham would be a perfect fit for McKennie. He’d have a good chance of playing right away and those squads all need players who are able to play in multiple positions and are keen on the defensive side of the game. Out of those three, maybe only Everton are capable of challenging for the Europa League in years to come. Given the Toffees’ rich history of signing American players, it would be a good step for McKennie.
That said, this is all about what he wants. Does he want to get a move to a top six Premier League club and then have to wait his time to break into the first team? If so, you could see him moving to Arsenal, Wolves or Tottenham and being a good option in holding midfield and at right back.
Some may say that it is out of line for McKennie to be talking about a transfer but the vast majority of the young American players in the Bundesliga (Adams, Gio Reyna, Josh Sargent etc.) have a Premier League move on their mind. Heck, most young players across Europe and the world have a Premier League transfer on their mind.
Have some fun below and vote where you think would be the best spot for McKennie to land if his dream move to the Premier League came true.
