On Monday, Leeds United announced that they had parted ways with Jesse Marsch after the 1-0 loss to Nottingham Forest.
The American manager, who managed to save the Yorkshire club from relegation last season, never managed to hit the ground running at Elland Road and build on last year’s escape, which ultimately led to this outcome.
While on paper, it makes sense, the decision to sack him now after spending big to bring in the players he wanted in January is a strange one, especially after the arrival of yet another USA international in Weston McKennie.
Signed on loan from Juventus with an option to buy, the deal represented some financial near guarantees for the Serie A side, but the sacking of Marsch has dampened the mood a bit.
McKennie was signed by the owners, sure, but it was ‘above all’ Marsch who wanted to work with him, and he is now no longer there.
This means his permanent purchase ‘may be less secure’ than it was when the deal took place, and it ‘affects some securities and puts at risk the money that was to come from his sale’.
Perhaps that will change when we know who the next Leeds manager ends up being, but if he doesn’t want to work with McKennie, Juventus will certainly start sweating.
