Newcastle United are interested in signing former Everton forward Moise Kean, it has been claimed. The 25-year-old has been in excellent form for Fiorentina this season, scoring 22 goals in 36 matches.
Regarded as one of Europe’s most talented young players, Kean spent two years at the Toffees between 2019 and 2021 after arriving for £25.6million from Juventus in August 2019. Aged 19 at the time, Kean struggled to adapt to life in the Premier League and left having scored just four times in 39 appearances.
Having spent a season on loan at Paris Saint-Germain, Kean moved back to Juventus in August 2021 and has since spent the last three-and-a-half years in Serie A. The Italy international, now 25, signed for Fiorentina last summer after struggling for regular minutes at Juve and has been a revelation this term.
Only Mateo Retegui (22) has scored more in Italy’s top tier than Kean (19), and his form has attracted interest from elsewhere. According to Calciomercato, Newcastle have made ‘first direct contact’ with Kean’s representatives and are lining him up as a potential replacement if Alexander Isak is sold this summer.
Arsenal, Tottenham, Barcelona and Napoli are also eyeing up a move for Kean, though it’s stressed that Newcastle are at the front of the queue. There is a hint ex-Everton man, who has a £45m release clause inserted into his Fiorentina contract, could be tempted by a return to England.
Despite this, Newcastle should AVOID the temptation of trying to sign Kean. Yes, there are examples of players coming back to the Premier League on their second attempt – like Mohamed Salah and Kevin De Bruyne – and setting the world alight, but the Magpies haven’t got the financial wiggle room to take such a risk.
Kean showed in his first stint in the Premier League that he is not capable of scoring on a regular basis, and although he is no doubt a more complete player now, there is no guarantee he can replicate that form at Newcastle.
While every transfer has its risks attached to them, signing Kean over a proven Premier League marksman would not be the right move for me. Newcastle, considering the Profit and Sustainability (PSR) and Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules in place, would be better off shopping in the domestic market for a new No.9.
They have other areas, such as a new right-winger and centre-back, that are more of a priority at this stage and should therefore stick to the Premier League to shop for a more low-risk striker.
Someone that is an alternative, and for me a more superior one with greater potential than Kean, is Ipswich Town’s Liam Delap. Eddie Howe’s side have been linked with a move for the 22-year-old this summer after a fine debut season in the Premier League, where he has scored 12 goals in 30 matches.
Although there have been strikers – such as Chris Wood, Erling Haaland and Isak – that have found the net more than Delap, those three players, for example, have played in better teams and had more top-quality service.
The fact Delap has struck double figures for a team that is set to be relegated – and going down with a whimper – is very impressive, and the season is not over yet. Newcastle could get a first-hand glimpse of the ex-Manchester City man when Ipswich travel to St James’ Park on Saturday, April 26.
Ipswich are said to demand £40m for Delap’s services in the summer window. There is an expectation that he will be sold, and Newcastle should make the first move to attempt to secure his services. Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool have also been linked with signing the England under-21 international.
It’s safe to say it would be a coup for Newcastle if they can beat a whole host of so-called Big Six clubs for Delap, and he would even be £5m cheaper – and is three years younger – than Kean.
