'One to watch': Journalist claims Spurs could swoop for World Cup 'superstar' in January

By Giuseppe Labellarte

Ben Jacobs has urged Tottenham Hotspur fans to keep an eye out on a potential move for Weston McKennie.

Spurs have been heavily linked with the Juventus midfielder over the past couple of transfer windows.

However, Tottenham could now be up against Liverpool in pursuit of McKennie, who shone for the United States at the World Cup.

Although Jude Bellingham is the Reds transfer priority in the middle of the park, this likely wouldn’t be until summer.

The Daily Mail reports that Liverpool remain open to loan deals in the January window, potentially including McKennie.

Going back to Tottenham, Jacobs replied to a Spurs fan asking whether the club was in advanced talks with anyone.

The CBS reporter said McKennie was “one to watch”, as well as Alessandro Bastoni.

Tottenham could do with a new No. 10 to provide creativity and link midfield and attack.

Meanwhile, Liverpool will find themselves several midfielders short in the summer amid expiring contracts.

McKennie has been compared to the likes of Gennaro Gattuso, N’Golo Kante and Arturo Vidal in the past.

Liverpool arguably need this more than Tottenham do.

Spurs already have Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Rodrigo Bentancur, Oliver Skipp and Yves Bissouma in that position.

Nonetheless, Alasdair Gold previously claimed that Fabio Paratici thinks that McKennie is a ‘superstar’.

This means Tottenham may still launch a move, something Liverpool need to be mindful of.

“Could be a new Gattuso”

McKennie has been labelled ‘extraordinary‘ in the past and is highly rated in Italy and in the United States.

American legend Alexi Lalas, who has watched a lot of the midfielder over the years, lauded his compatriot in 2020.

He said in an interview with Tuttosport: “He (McKennie) could be a new Gattuso, who (ex-Juve boss Andrea Pirlo) played with the original and knows how important it was for the balance of that Milan. 

“McKennie has something of Gattuso, but also of Kante and Vidal. As they say here: Beauty and the Beast. 

“Beauty and the beast both serve to win. And McKennie, as well as a conqueror of balls, also has excellent skills in the construction of the game and with his head he is always dangerous on inactive balls.”