Leeds United season ticket holder reveals Weston McKennie request after chance encounter in Caribbean

The life of a Premier League footballer is one very much in the public eye, absent of the relative anonymity enjoyed by the vast majority of the populace. Away from the confines of training grounds and private residences, players are immediately recognisable in public life, particularly in the localities of clubs they represent.

Leeds’ on-loan midfielder Weston McKennie is no shrinking violet, though, and has grown accustomed to being in the spotlight after coming through at Bundesliga club FC Schalke 04 before securing a career-defining move to Italian giants Juventus where he featured in All or Nothing: Juventus, an Amazon Prime Video documentary.

Perhaps on the Caribbean island of Grenada, then, where the United States Men’s National Team defeated their CONCACAF Nations League rivals 7-1 last week, McKennie might have expected a reprieve from the Premier League spotlight, whilst relaxing in a hotel lobby.

But, that would be forgetting which club he had joined in the January transfer window.

Leeds supporter and Norman Hunter south stand season ticket holder Paul Gott had been enjoying a short break on the island when his chance encounter with the USMNT side came about. Luckily for Doncaster resident Gott, McKennie identified his Leeds United beach towel and when asked for a photograph to remember the occasion, insisted the Whites paraphernalia took centre stage.

"It was him who suggested having it in the photo, to be honest,” Gott tells the YEP.

"We were walking back towards the reception area and he was sat with the AC Milan player, Sergino Dest. We knew the [USMNT] squad were stopping in the hotel because we’d seen some backroom staff the night before.

"Anyway, as I’m walking I just said to my missus: ‘That’s McKennie, there’.

"She said to him: ‘Are you a Leeds lad?’ and he said ‘yeah’. Honestly, he stood up straight away to come talking, shakes my hand and he says: ‘Do you know since I’ve joined Leeds, everywhere I go someone recognises me. I didn’t realise they were so famous all over the world.’”

Gott explains how genial and affable the 24-year-old came across but McKennie explained their encounter wasn’t his first with a Leeds fan during this international break, citing an earlier meeting with a young Leeds supporter at the airport in Orlando.

Gott implored the Leeds man to stay fit whilst out in the Caribbean, to which McKennie confirmed that was his intention and was already looking ahead to a ‘big game’ against Arsenal this weekend.

"He was such a nice kid, no big-headedness about him. Straight on his feet, straight over to shake your hand.

"I think Dest was a bit upset that I didn’t ask him for a photo,” Gott jokes.

McKennie’s international schedule pits him against El Salvador in Florida before he returns to Thorp Arch later this week. With teammate Tyler Adams out with a hamstring injury, the US midfielder is expected to play an important role during the remainder of Leeds’ Premier League campaign.