Trash-talking, tackling, physicality, running until your head’s spinning. Weston McKennie and Tyler Adams have found the hymn sheet they want to sing from at Leeds United.
The Americans have been reunited at Elland Road and will play together in the same club side for the first time. The midfield pair, expected to play alongside each other in the engine room, have frequently played for their country together, stretching back to the national youth teams at 14-years-old.
Adams, inevitably, played a major role in reassuring McKennie Leeds was the right place for him to take a step away from Champions League football at Juventus. The USA captain has arguably been the player of the year so far and Adams is very familiar with the biggest asset United has.
“He said he loves it and he said the fans are unbelievable,” McKennie told LeedsLive . “That’s the number one thing I hear always about Leeds, it's the fans are unbelievable.
“I really thrive off of fans. I love [how] the energy is reciprocated. They're building energy in the stands and I'm taking it and putting it on the field. That's the kind of a player I am, which I feel like Tyler is too.”
As he chats to LeedsLive in the Jack Charlton Stand, many of the references McKennie makes chime with what we know of Adams. They seem to be like peas in a pod.
The number 12 has been formidable as a defensive midfielder under Jesse Marsch this season. Not only have his game-breaking tackles stood out, but the fight is something Adams has relished.
Adams is drawn to conflicts on the field, even if they don’t concern him. The diminutive American is never afraid to share a few choice words either, much like his brother-in-arms.
“I need to be able to go box to box, I need to be able to release my energy,” said McKennie of his playing style. “I love [going] box to box, I love tackling, I love physicality, I love trash-talking, I love scoring goals. I love everything I feel like Leeds identifies with.”
A brotherhood is actually how McKennie describes it. Much in the way we have seen Adams and Brenden Aaronson looking out for one another, it seems their newly-arrived compatriot will fall into the same pitch rules.
“We complement each other very well because we've known each other for so long,” McKennie said of Adams. “We have good chemistry and we always cover for each other.
“Whenever one person's out of position, the other one covers. [It] doesn't matter the distance you have to run to do it. It's always there. It's a brotherhood we have together.”
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