Among the many teams that will be busy this January transfer window, Tottenham Hotspur could be among the busiest. At least among clubs not named Newcastle United, which could be the destination for Spurs attacking midfielder Dele Alli.
As Alli could be heading out of the Spurs midfield, one player who could be heading in is American star Weston McKennie. A new report from Football.London says that Tottenham Managing Director Fabio Paratici hopes to sign McKennie from his former club, Juventus.
However, the North London club may have to wait until the summer in order to sign the 23-year-old USMNT star. Per the report, Juve have no plans to part with the Texan before the end of the season, as he’s a key cog for their hopes and dreams in Europe and the push for the top four.
It was actually Paratici who signed McKennie to the Old Lady from FC Schalke, so you know he has a great relationship with the midfielder’s representation. McKennie would bring a lot of versatility to Spurs, and under an Antonio Conte system, he could potentially really flourish.
Obviously, he’s had a rocky, roller coaster kind of season (at least on the international level), but now that controversy is behind him.
The sky is the limit here, provided he keeps it clean off the pitch. He could become a true midfield maestro on it.
In addition to Alli, other Spurs midfielders who could exit White Hart Lane this January include Giovani Lo Celso and Tanguy Ndombele, the club’s record signing when he was acquired.
Ndombele, who has been a huge flop (especially under Jose Mourinho) since he made a £55.4m move from Lyon in July of 2019, could go out on loan to Paris Saint-Germain this month.
The last time we saw Ndombele in action was the FA Cup third-round win over Morecambe on January 9.
The 25-year-old was literally booed by his own fans as he got subbed off. Despite his being a massive bust in North London, he’s still coveted, to an extent, by PSG. A deal could be struck if the two sides can reach agreement on which club will be what percent of his wages.
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Bank (TheSportsBank.Net) and author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” as well as “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He has regularly appeared in WGN, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune, and co-hosts the After Extra Time podcast. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram.