Weston McKennie makes Premier League debut for Leeds United

U.S. Men’s National team star Weston McKennie made his Premier League debut for Leeds United on Sunday.

Leeds United fell 1-0 to Nottingham Forest, who got a 14th-minute goal from Wales forward Brennan Johnson.

McKennie entered as a substitute for the club, which he said he felt had very strong American influences. 

But despite the disappointing result, McKennie was serenaded by fans with a custom chant to the tune of Chaka Khan’s “Ain’t Nobody.” 

“Ain’t nobody like McKennie, plays with Adams, for the USA,” fans were heard singing at the City Ground ahead of the game. 

The rendition was sang in reference to McKennie’s American teammate Tyler Adams. 

McKennie, a 24-year-old forward from Fort Lewis, Washington, is the third American to suit up for Leeds after completing a loan from Juventus last week. Brenden Aaronson also joined the squad earlier in the season.

“Weston has fitted in really well and had a really good week of training,” Leeds manager Jesse Marsch said. 

“When Weston’s name was discussed, I always do my homework and that means talking to people who know him, have played with him, are close to him or have coached him. What I heard about Weston was ‘great guy, a great teammate, a competitor, confident.’

“We have three matches this week, so we’ll have to have some rotation,” Marsch added. ” … When I spoke to him, I learned that he was hungry, had a desire to improve and a belief that he has done well in his career but has so much more to achieve and learn. When I combined all that with watching him over the years, signing Weston became a no-brainer and I felt he was the perfect guy for us. It’s a transfer we should be proud of as Leeds United because bringing in a player like him, from Juventus, is a tribute to us as a club.”

McKennie made over 90 appearances for Juventus, winning a pair of domestic trophies in the process.

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