Weston McKennie to Borussia Dortmund transfer reports: Would a BVB move make sense for the USMNT midfielder?

After a difficult loan spell at Leeds, could the American could find greener pastures at the top of the Bundesliga

After a whirlwind six months, Weston McKennie could be on the way to replacing Jude Bellingham at Borussia Dortmund. McKennie struggled while with Leeds United and following the team's relegation, they chose not to take up the option to make his loan move permanent which sent McKennie back to Juventus. Despite the arrival of Tim Weah in Turin, Mckennie's departure is still likely in the cards, and according to reports the American could eventually be on his way to the Black and Yellow.

It's a move that would be quite a weird one as McKennie's breakout took place at Schalke, one of Dortmund's bitter rivals, but with his time in Germany firmly in the rearview mirror with three seasons at Juventus and Leeds, there has been plenty of time to make the move less controversial. On the pitch, while Dortmund only lost the league on goal difference on the final day of the season, but there's a lot to replace in midfield the departures of Bellingham and Mahmoud Dahoud.

McKennie wouldn't be a true like-for-like replacement for either, but as a versatile midfielder he can bring quite a lot to the Dortmund attack. With knowledge of the Bundesliga and Champions League experience, he's a player that can also help ensure that collapses like what caused Dortmund to not win the league aren't repeated. While Signal Iduna Park was a fortress, Dortmund struggled to convert chances away from home.

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McKennie isn't someone who will carry an attack, with 13 goals and eight assists during his career, but he can pop up at important moments for a team especially from set plays. McKennie is great at heading the ball which can help improve Dortmund's fortunes from corner kicks. He'll also keep a defense honest by shooting when given space but his work rate is what helps set McKennie apart.

When he's locked in, McKennie will be relentless pressing and moving with or without the ball to make things happen. He struggled to integrate into Leeds' system after moving on loan to the club in January of 2023, but during his time at Juventus McKennie shined despite playing for a defensively minded club. Being able to bring that spark to Dortmund could help transition them from a midfield that was based on a lot of magic from Bellingham, one of the world's best players.

Unfortunately, McKennie will be compared to Bellingham which isn't fair to him due to Bellingham being able to be a team's best attacking and defensive midfielder all at the same time, but that shouldn't diminish what Bellingham can bring to a team. 2023 was a rough year for McKennie with injuries and the Premier League transfer hurting him, but Dortmund is a place that could help get him back to being the magical midfielder that he can be. 

At his best, when given the freedom to perform, McKennie would get that in Dortmund. The Black and Yellow have already added Felix Nmecha and adding McKennie to a midfield with him and some combination of Julian Brandt, Marco Reus or Gio Reyna would create a fluid setup. 

To topple Bayern, Dortmund would still need more additions but bringing McKennie into the fold would be a step in the right direction.