Weston McKennie has admitted that he "could have made the NFL" ahead of his reported move to Leeds United in the January transfer window.
Jesse Marsch appears to have found his midfield reinforcement this month as McKennie looks set to become the third arrival at Elland Road in the January window. The American will follow in the footsteps of Max Wober and Georginio Rutter to team up with compatriots Tyler Adams and Brenden Aaronson at the club - of course under Leeds' American coach as well.
It has been widely reported that the Juventus man will arrive on an initial loan deal that includes an option to buy, meaning that Leeds may have slightly less risk attached to the deal should things not work out. However, it is understood that certain conditions being met - that could include Premier League survival, goals, appearances and assists - can alter the terms of the deal.
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Supporters may well already be excited over the idea of watching McKennie in action, but things could have very easily turned out differently for the 24-year-old. The Serie A star has admitted that if it were not for his father moving to Germany with the military, he may never have become a professional footballer.
"Probably playing American football, to be completely honest," McKennie said when asked what he'd be doing in life if he had not pursued football as a career path. "I played that before I moved to Germany because my dad was in the military. That's one of the reasons I started playing soccer, because they didn't have that for my age over there in Germany.
"I'd probably be playing American football, sitting here like 200 pounds and stocky. I think I could have made the NFL if I would have stuck with it.
"I'm one of those guys where whatever I do and try to give my 100 percent to it. So if that was American football, I would have stuck with that and gave everything to that as well."
Leeds, of course, have their own NFL connection in the form of their minority shareholders 49ers Enterprises, who appear set to complete a full takeover this year.
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