Italian football was in despair after crashing out to Sweden in the playoffs for the 2018 World Cup. The most talented players are getting too old and the players meant to be in their prime are comparatively mediocre (barring Marco Verrati). It may be up to the younger players then to pick up the pieces, with the player in question at the forefront, along with another young forward who I may write about at a later date.
A player I’ve been aware of for a few years (mainly because Football Manager rave about him), Kean has slowly worked his way through the youth ranks at both Juventus and the national team playing at every international youth level before eventually making his international debut last year, he also made history when making his debut for Juventus in November 2016 (aged 16), becoming the first player born in this millennium to play in any of Europe’s top 5 leagues and subsequently becoming the first player born in this millennium to score in any of the top 5 leagues.
Progress did stall a little after this, but Kean was sent out on loan last season to Hellas Verona to gain first team experience in Serie A, at times he struggled with the burden of being positioned as the clubs’ main goal threat at such a young age, only managing 4 goals before getting injured, but Kean had demonstrated enough to his parent club with his pace, power, strength and technical ability for them to keep him for themselves for the following season. He also did enough to catch the eye of Roberto Mancini, making his debut for Italy in a friendly for the United States last November.
Kean has played a slight bit part this season, making substitute appearances and starting in some cup games (probably in a similar vein to Callum Hudson-Odoi at Chelsea) but has again shown glimpses of what he is capable of.
This brings us to what is probably his breakthrough performance 10 days ago. With a huge Champions League game against Atletico coming up, several players were therefore rested, and Kean didn’t half take his chance.
In what was a pretty poor Juve performance, keen dragged them out of the mire, a powerful display saw him smash in a brace and win a penalty which Emre Can converted in a slightly flattering 4-1 win, that didn’t matter though, quite a few people have now taken notice.
Italy might be alright after all, and likewise Kean, he’s on Mino Raiola’s books, so no doubt he will soon be a very wealthy man.
False 9 