McKenzie to follow steps of De Bruyne, Courtois and Koulibaly
The United States defender has been linked to the Belgian side Genk during this transfer window, the club that has signed big names in the past.
KRC Genk and Philadelphia Union are negotiating for Marc McKenzie so the United States defender can join the Belgian side in January 2021. According to The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jonathan Tannenwald, the clubs have reached an agreement and the Belgian side will pay $6 million plus performance-based-add-ons for the 21-year-old.
McKenzie will be the second player that Philadelphia Union transfers this year, as the MLS side agreed to send Brendan Aaronson to RB Salzburg starting 1 January. Now McKenzie is set to follow Aaronson’s footsteps but he will join KRC Genk, a club that signed Kevin De Bruyne, Courtois and Koulibaly before making the jump to the elite of Europe.
Second high-profile transfer out of Philadelphia
The Union had previously rejected an offer from Celtic from Scottish football because their offer was too low and McKenzie’s value increased when the Union won the 2020 Supporters’ Shield this season.
In 2018, McKenzie signed a homegrown deal with Philadelphia Union prior to the beginning of that season and since then he has made 48 appearances with 46 as a starter. He was also named to the 2020 MLS Best XI and was a finalist for MLS Defender of the Year.