"After we told everyone we didn't want him..." (It's not just specific to Juventus, of course, but I do kinda wish some fans would remember these incidents when they come out with "but the coach said!" or "but the player said!" like no one ever played the press in their lives.)
Cherundolo said something to the effect that every May the director of football's job was to recruit someone better than him and that his job was to become better than that someone. Looks like Wes has that quality
This summer, McKennie had angered Juventus by saying ‘no' to joining Aston Villa that risked jeopardising the Douglas Luiz transfer. The player also turned down Galatasaray and Fiorentina to stay with the Bianconeri. The USMNT player could have earned around €3M + bonuses at… pic.twitter.com/3jLdbGStmW— JuveFC (@juvefcdotcom) September 19, 2024 So it looks like McKennie is taking home the same pay as before his contract extension.
Kettle! We keep going in circles with this. It seems to me your timeline is off. You're right that the club/coach "played the press after Wes refuses to sign his contract. Is it smart business practice? I think we agree here, no. Wes agrees to sign his extension and like magic he is back in the first team. Why did Chiesa continue to be held out until he was sold and not McKennie?
3 million plus bonuses at Aston Villa versus 2.5 million at Juve according to that and other reports. I didn't know that Italian teams or at least Juve don't pay bonuses. If they don't, it's the only country/club in world football that doesn't so I'd wonder about that source's reliability
Juve absolutely do, he just doesn't have any bonuses included in his contract. Not every player gets bonuses included.
2.5 million with Juventus versus 3 million plus bonuses (maybe 600k max?) at Aston Villa and unless I'm a lock starter, it's Juve every time. Don't get me wrong, but being Irish of a certain age I'm morally obliged to hate Juve - and we both know how shamefully unappreciated hate is as a quality in football - but they're one of a half-dozen or so "name" teams with CL football every season, usually with trophies on top. That's not exactly Aston Villa. And if I'm planning on returning home around the 2026 WC, Juve will do a lot more for my branding opportunities. I mean, even the most casual fans know who and what Juve are. Villa are more of an "oh yeah, Villa. From Bristol, right?" side
That's why I'm honour-bound to hate Juve!! Win 2 Scudettos in a row with him as #10 and you dump him for some French nobody is an outrage. All I can say is at least it wasn't Thierry Henry. Not that I'm bitter or anything
And to be serious - for once - I really would take Juve (or another of the top 3-4 Serie A sides) over Villa, branding opportunities or not.
I doubt he'd turn down one of the English giants or a club in London willing to pay him a fortune. But going from Juventus to Aston Villa, even if the latter might be the better club at the moment, wouldn't have been a very glamorous career move.
Is the reported Juve salary after tax and the Villa salary before tax? That would make the Juve salary likely a better deal.
It has to be bothersome at the least. Just imagine trying to play physical and getting shouldered or doing that to someone on that side. We all talk about his wolverine healing but maybe it's just he's able to play through pain more than others but e doesn't look optimal. Is it better to play hurt (and don't forget his coaches know and play him even start him) or wait until completely healthy?
In my opinion yeah. Remember, he was nearly going to Liverpool before they lowballed Fulham. Still, would have been a sight to see what Deuce could get up to in the CL back in the day.
Aside from a couple geniuses on here, no one was counting him out. I actually think some of you believed all of that nonsense. Let's hope the idiotic echo chamber of negativity about Wes dies down. And these jokes about him being fat or out of shape are neither funny nor particularly accurate. Not sure what you guys are trying to prove with that. Wes is a good player on a top team in a top league.
Poster child: Gli 1️⃣1️⃣ titolari scelti da mister Thiago Motta per #JuveNapoli 📜Powered by @EASPORTSFC pic.twitter.com/M0aGPolrlo— JuventusFC (@juventusfc) September 21, 2024