Tottenham Hotspur 'hijack' Aston Villa move for ex-Leeds United man as £15m deal mooted

The USA international endured a torrid loan spell at Leeds, struggling for form as the Whites battled to avoid relegation from the Premier League in the 2022/23 season.

He made 20 appearances for the club, featuring regularly but failing to endear himself to the Elland Road faithful. Since departing Yorkshire, he has been back at parent club Juventus and his form has improved considerably.

The 25-year-old’s exploits in Serie A have fuelled talk of a Premier League return, with Villa heavily linked in recent weeks. However, according to Football Insider, Villa are no longer in pole position to secure his signature.

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Talks are said to have stalled, allowing Tottenham to swoop in and agree a cut-price fee for the former Leeds loanee. With McKennie out of contract next summer, Tottenham are said to be in talks over a £15m deal.

As recently as last year, it was difficult to envisage seeing McKennie make a return to the top tier of English football. Being parachuted into a survival scrap is by no means easy but McKennie appeared to struggle with the pace of games.

However, he has been rejuvenated back in Italy and enjoyed a stellar 2023/24 campaign. He amassed 38 appearances in all competitions, registering 10 assists. Earlier this year, he was even linked with Manchester United and Arsenal.