Brotherly Game
Mark McKenzie drawing Premier League interest
Former Philadelphia Union defender Mark McKenzie has been absolutely fantastic for K.R.C. Genk this season, and English Premier League clubs have taken notice.
Belgian outlets report that West Ham United, Brighton and Hove Albion, and Everton have taken interest in the USMNT defender.
McKenzie, who grew up in Bear, Delaware, is also the subject of interest from EFL Championship side Leeds United, where former Union teammate Brenden Aaronson is under contract despite being out on loan.
It’s unclear what kind of fee Genk wants for McKenzie, whose current value sits at just over $7.6 Million. With the ever-growing budgets of English top-flight clubs, winter transfer window mark-ups, and a contract that runs through next June, McKenzie could very well move for a much higher sum than his previously mentioned value.
Philadelphia Union can expect to see a small payout should a move be completed, as McKenzie’s $6 million transfer in 2020 contained a sell-on clause. While the specifics of the deal, including the percentage due to Philadelphia, were kept private, an English transfer could
net the Union a decent total. If McKenzie’s move follows that of Brenden Aaronson’s in structure, the Union could fetch anywhere from $500k to $1.5 Million, should the deal be completed.
McKenzie could be the third Philadelphia Union alumnus to play in the Premier League, joining Brenden Aaronson and Auston Trusty, who joined Sheffield United last summer.