Juventus boss Motta hints at McKennie stay

Juventus begin their Serie A season with a limited number of players available and considerable work to do in the transfer market, manager Thiago Motta said on Sunday, adding that United States international Weston McKennie, who looked to be on his way out of the club, could now return to the fold.

Four seasons without a league title after winning nine in a row forced Juventus into major changes, with Motta replacing Massimiliano Allegri as coach, but they have yet to bring in the players required to challenge for the Scudetto.

Motta goes into Monday’s opening home game against promoted Como with his squad still a work in progress but said he appreciates what the USMNT midfielder brings to his squad.

“First of all, McKennie is a useful and functional player for our needs,” Motta told a news conference.

“Tomorrow we have 19 players to face the game, only 11 can play. I have the possibility to make five substitutions, no more.

“We are in good shape, had good preparation, good training this week, with intensity, everything we want to see, and ready to face tomorrow’s game.”

McKennie, 25, looked set to leave Juventus this summer but sources told ESPN earlier this week that he held talks with Motta and rebuilt the relationship ahead of Monday’s game.

The former Leeds United player was left out of Juventus’ squad for their final two preseason matches against Brest and Atlético Madrid along with Federico Chiesa and the since-departed Wojciech Szczęsny.

Juventus, heavily linked with the likes of Atalanta midfielder Teun Koopmeiners and Fiorentina winger Nicolas Gonzalez among others, have failed to bring in players targeted at the end of last season.

Defender Riccardo Calafiori went to Arsenal and Dutch striker Joshua Zirkzee, who played under Motta at Bologna, signed for Manchester United. They also need to offload forward Chiesa, who does not fit into Motta’s plans.

“We are working hard to build a competitive squad together and today we are focused on playing a great game against Como. We will see the rest later,” Motta said.

“The most important thing is that, even if you don’t like to talk too much about the game, even though tomorrow we play a game, we are focused on playing well, doing our job well and getting the result we want, against Como.

“All the players who come tomorrow deserve to be there, whether they play from the start or come in during the game, they do so on merit.”

Motta, who took Bologna to fifth place and Champions League football last season, will not be taking Como lightly as he looks to get his Juventus career off to the perfect start.

“Life is like football, nothing is taken for granted, we have to deserve it and we have to focus on ourselves and on tomorrow’s game,” he said.

“We are facing a team that has made it here from Serie B, they have won many games to get to this point, they have a lot of enthusiasm.”

Information from ESPN’s Tom Hamilton contributed to this report.