Yahoo News Weston McKennie and Douglas Luiz do their talking on the pitch amid €20m Aston Villa swap deal
The United States and Brazil's Copa America warm-up fixture could not have been more perfectly-timed amid Aston Villa's latest transfer settlement.
Currently dominating the Villa sphere is Douglas Luiz's exit from the club. The Brazilian has been subject to interest over the years, but as threat of sanction from the Premier League's Profit and Sustainability Rules loom overhead, now appears to be time to cash in. Negotiations remain ongoing with Juventus, with all signs pointing towards everyone involved getting what they want.
As painful as the 26-year-old's exit would be, close to €20m will come the way of Villa Park. Also part of the deal are two players to add depth and versatility to Unai Emery's squad - one being Samuel Iling-Junior and the other being US midfielder Weston McKennie.
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So, as club directors remain locked in discussions, a big question comes down to is this going to be the best footballing decision for Villa? As Luiz's nation and McKennie's locked horns overnight, the friendly went some distance as to providing some clarification on the matter.
It ended 1-1 in Florida, taking place in the early hours of the United Kingdom's morning time. Rodrygo's first-half opener for A Selecao was quickly cancelled out by a Christian Pulisic free-kick, and in the end it turned out to be the US that were denied a victory.
McKennie played the entirety of the meeting on the left of a midfield three, his first involvement coming in Brazil's goal. There was nothing he could have done as goalkeeper Matt Turner failed to find the required range on a pass to his midfield team-mate, then their opponents capitalised.
The Juve man picked his head up though and proved to be a key figure across the field. Defensively, he managed five clearances, three recoveries, and won five of his six duels. But it was his attacking initiative that stood out most - he created the third-most chances on the night, three, and would have had an assist to his name if not for the talents of Liverpool's Alisson in net.
Luiz on the other hand was only introduced as a second-half substitute, but in that space managed to display the element of control he brings that will be missed after his departure. 44 out of 44 passes made their mark - the most accurate of anyone on the field for at least 45 minutes - with nine into the final third, which was only bettered by Bruno Guimaraes.
Additionally, Villa's No.6 created two chances of his own in a shorter timeframe than the US man involved in his money-plus-swap deal.
Neither midfielder was able to have the telling impact on the match, though at least their latest outings provide some sense of clarity as to the deal Villa are getting. On the one hand there is Luiz - calmly interconnecting play for club and country, a central cog in the Emery machine - and then there is McKennie.
The club have already been told of his versatility and potential, but in order to get the exact desired midfield replacement efforts will be needed to fine tune his ball retention and passing efficiency to the match standards of his predecessor.
Whilst this transfer deal unfolds, they will next enter the Copa America with their respective teams. The US must navigate a group including Uruguay, Panama and Bolivia, whilst Luiz and Brazil have been pitted against Colombia, Paraguay and Costa Rica.
