Manchester United have received a positive response after the club’s approach to Fiorentina striker Moise Kean as the Italian international would be open to a Premier League return, according to reports.
Kean, 25, has enjoyed the best season of his career with La Viola after joining last summer from Juventus.
The striker had previously endured a disappointing experience in England after a 25 million move to Everton in 2019. He only scored two league goals in 32 appearances for the Toffees before a return to Turin.
But the progress of centre-forwards is rarely linear. And it’s a position which young players often struggle to adapt to, with many examples of relatively ‘late bloomers’ across Europe, including Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski or, closer to home, Leicester City’s Jamie Vardy.
Kean has scored 17 goals and provided three assists in 30 league appearances for Fiorentina this season. Only Atalanta’s Mateo Retegui has more in Serie A.
The 25-year-old retains the potent pairing of size and speed which made him such a highly-rated prospect at Juventus, while he’s demonstrated improvements in link up play. This could be the ‘breakout’ season for Kean his early promise had predicted.
And while the jump in level from Serie A to the Premier League – a much more physical division to play in – would likely negate some of the advantages Kean enjoys in Italy, the striker’s contract situation at the Artemio Franchi Stadium offers suitors a tantalising prospect.
From July 1 to July 15, Kean’s contract will have a 50 million (42m) release clause activated. Compared to the prices mooted for some of the other strikers across Europe this summer – Viktor Gyokeres, Victor Osimhen, and Benjamin Sesko among them – this represents a much more affordable deal.
And it’s this reduced fee which will have driven United’s emerging interest in the Italian international.
Reporter Sacha Tavolieri (as relayed by Give Me Sport) reveals Kean would be “open” to a return to the Premier League with “no shortage of suitors”. United are said to have “approached Kean’s representatives in recent weeks” after identifying the Italian as a “potential alternative to Viktor Gyokeres.”
Gyokeres emerged as one of the standout forwards in Europe under Ruben Amorim in Lisbon, before the Portuguese coach swapped Sporting CP for United in November. And given the struggles Amorim has endured from his ineffective forward line since arriving in Manchester, a reunion with his former pupil would likely be a dream.
But the report states Arsenal are “leading the race” for the Swedish international and, as such, United have focused on other targets, including Kean.
But “several” clubs in England have also expressed interest in the Fiorentina striker, suggesting any pursuit of Kean will need to be decisive and direct in order to secure the 25-year-old’s signature when his release clause is activated on July 1.
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Darragh Fox Darragh is a writer for The Peoples Person who spent three years as a history graduate slowly realising football was by far the most interesting thing to write about.
