Manchester United might not be hunting for a striker this summer as their top priority, but the rumor mill keeps spinning. And right now, it’s spinning around Moise Kean.
Fiorentina’s sporting director Fabio Paratici didn’t exactly slam the door shut on a potential sale this week. In fact, he left it wide open. When asked whether Kean would stay or go, Paratici basically said: we’d love to keep him, but we’re not one of those clubs that can just say no to everything.
“As for Kean, he’s absolutely an asset to Italian football and Fiorentina,” Paratici told reporters Thursday, per Laviola. “Everyone knows how fond I am of him. I’ve seen him grow from when he was 9 years old to the Champions League. I even sold him once under my management. I’m fond of him, like all the players I’ve had. But we’re in a transfer window. We hope and want him to be our number nine. But not all football clubs are masters of their own destiny on the market, except the top five or six in the world. I think this is a sincere and realistic response for our fans.”
Translation? Kean is for sale if the price is right.
Fiorentina just went through a rough season — a relegation scrap that ended with them staying up but needing a serious rebuild. Kean is one of their most valuable tradeable assets. Former Italy striker Christian Vieri once called him “phenomenal.” That kind of tag carries weight. And Fiorentina knows it.
United already tried to sign Kean last summer under INEOS and couldn’t get it done. The numbers last season weren’t flashy — eight goals in 26 games — but the season before that he bagged 19 in 32. That’s the version of Kean that makes sense as a backup or rotational option for Benjamin Sesko.
Joshua Zirkzee’s situation is still up in the air. He’s reportedly tried to leave twice and failed. If he finally moves on, United will need another body up top. Kean fits the profile: Premier League experience (didn’t work great at Everton, but still), Italian international pedigree, and an age where he could still develop into something more consistent.
Paratici basically put him in the shop window without saying it directly. Now it’s on United to decide whether they want to walk in and make an offer.
Featured image via Timothy Rogers/Getty Images
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