'Top-tier No.9' – USMNT star Timothy Weah reveals the icon that his game is based around

Today at 03:19 PM

Timothy Weah made his return for Juventus in a 1-0 win over Lazio at the weekend.

The versatile USMNT star had been sidelined for almost a month with an ankle injury, but was recalled back onto the right side that he has made his home in Serie A.

Weah has primarily featured as a winger or wing-back in the past two seasons with Juventus, but was deployed as a No.9 in the second half of the goalless draw against Napoli last month, before suffering his setback.

Juve boss Thiago Motta played a 4-2-3-1 formation in that game, with the US star up top supported by Nico Gonzalez, Kenan Yildiz and Teun Koopmeiners behind him.

While it was a different role to the one he usually takes up on the right side, it was one Weah was more than comfortable in.

"I play everywhere," the 24-year-old told The Athletic in a recent interview.

"It's definitely something that I love. Obviously as a player, you want to focus on one position and kind of perfect that. But I'm also a player who has fun in different positions. I love seeing the game from the perspective of a different player's eyes.

“So playing centre-back, playing right-back… I get a buzz from it. And then doing well in those positions is like the biggest high for me because people are like, 'Woah, he can play up top, he can play in defence'."

Weah has long been established in Europe, spending four seasons with Lille before completing a transfer to Juventus.

Before that, he came up through another of Europe’s super clubs, Paris Saint-Germain, where his father, the legendary George Weah, had played in the 1990s.

It was here that his talent as a goal scorer was spotted, with coaches urging Weah to base his game around another top striker.

“So the player they wanted me to sculpt my game around was [Edinson] Cavani,” the USMNT star revealed.

“For me, he is a top-tier No.9, one of the best to ever play the game in that position."

Weah went on to credit David Bechkoura, his former youth-team coach at PSG, for giving him a ‘whole bunch of information’ and a ‘whole lot of video’ on Cavani's game.

"It's not only his goals but the runs he makes, the selfish runs that open up space. His work-rate is amazing,” Weah added.

"David was the one who kind of pushed me and the staff to focus on runs, because they knew that, at the next level, that was what I needed to add to my game. It really helped."

It’s unclear if Motta will deploy Weah as a No.9 again this season, or if new USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino will play him there, but it’s a good option to have.

The versatile Weah is not the only US star who has been impressing in Serie A recently either.

Christian Pulisic has been on fire for AC Milan, and with the pair sure to share the pitch together on the international stage moving forward, the future seems bright for the USMNT.

“We make it easy for each other," Weah said.

"The connection we have on the field is amazing. I know when Christian does certain movements that I have to do another movement to try to create something.

“I know, 100 per cent, that when he gets the ball, a lot of defenders are going to be crowding him, so I know that opens up space for me to try to make something happen and create.”