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TURIN, Italy – Juventus made Weston McKennie’s move to the Serie A giant permanent on Wednesday, tying the US midfielder to the club for the next four seasons.
McKennie has been at Juventus since August, after joining German club Schalke, but the Bianconeri have exercised the option to purchase all of the player’s rights.
Juventus said the fees were 18.5 million euros ($ 22 million), payable over three years, plus 6.5 million euros ($ 7.8 million) in bonuses.
The nine-time defending Serie A champion added that McKennie has signed a contract until June 30, 2025.
McKennie, who is the first American to play for Juventus, has scored five goals – including one in a Champions League win at Barcelona – in 31 appearances.
The 22-year-old has already won a trophy at Juventus, helping him lift the Italian Super Cup in January with a 2-0 victory over Napoli.
The signing fee will be a boost for Schalke, who is facing relegation from the Bundesliga and serious financial problems. Schalke hasn’t been out of the Premier League since 1991, but is in last place in the league with just one win all season.
Schalke has spent heavily on signings and player salaries while pursuing Champions League success over the past decade, but ran into problems when he missed out on qualifying for the lucrative European competition. The coronavirus pandemic has exacerbated his financial woes when fans were not allowed to attend games.
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