SOCCER
Who can replace Weston McKennie in the USMNT?
Juventus confirmed that McKennie will be out for at least one month due to the fracture he suffered in the 1-1 draw against Villarreal in the Champions League.
It has been a tough week for the United States men’s national team with two of their key players suffering injuries. The first one to go down was Gio Reyna, but Borussia Dortmund confirmed that his hamstring injury is not that serious and he will be out for around two weeks.
The second one to go down was Weston McKennie and his injury is a bit more serious. The 23-year-old fractured his foot in Juventus 1-1 draw against Villarreal in the UEFA Champions League and he will be sidelined for between eight and 12 weeks. This injury will rule McKennie out for the next international break and the coach of the USMNT, Gregg Berhalter, is already thinking about his replacement.
Three options to replace the Juventus ace
Kellyn Acosta has experience with the United States men’s national team and he is in pole position to replace McKennie in midifield for the three World Cup qualifying games in March. The LAFC player has 48 appearances with the USMNT, scoring two goals and providing four assists.
Luca de la Torre is another option for Berhalter after making his first start for the United States in the 3-0 win against Honduras earlier this month. The 23-year-old had a very solid performance in the World Cup qualifying game and he played the entire 90 minutes.
The third option is Gianluca Busio, who already has seven caps with the United States and has provided one assist. The former Sporting KC player has not played with the USMNT since he started against Jamaica on 16 November, but he has been very active with the Serie A side Venezia.