Carlo Ancelotti has offered a firm refusal to part ways with Everton striker Moise Kean amid reports SSC Napoli have cleared the road to signing the Italian youth international.
Ancelotti confirmed at his pre-Sheffield United press conference, via The Athletic’s Patrick Boyland, that Kean will be an Everton player next season, while hinting that the 20-year-old could have a starting role at Bramall Lane come Monday night.
Kean has struggled to establish himself as one of the first names on an Everton teamsheet since his £27.5million transfer from Juventus last summer, with Ancelotti following former Blues boss Marco Silva in often only favouring the Vercelli-born forward from the bench.
Between Silva and Ancelotti’s tenures, Kean has featured in 28 Premier League fixtures but has only started five of those, while opening just two of the Toffees’ five cup fixtures between the Carabao and FA Cups.
The potential, then, was there for Kean to depart Merseyside in search of more regular game time in the hopes of improving his Euro 2020 chances, having fallen out of favour with the senior Italy fold and only representing the U21s since departing Turin.
One potential avenue Kean could have seemingly explored would have been Napoli after Emanuele Cammaroto noted in his editorial for Napoli Magazine, via Arena Napoli, that the Serie A side had a clear road to his signing.
Should Kean go out on loan for next season?
Yes
No
Napoli boss Gennaro Gattuso is claimed to consider Kean as being a strong centre-forward similar to LOSC Lille’s Victor Osimhen, for whom they are reaching a decision-point in negotiations with his Ligue 1 side.
Gattuso’s hopes of potentially turning attention to Kean as an alternative, however, appear over with Ancelotti confirming that the striker will be a part of his plans at Goodison Park next term.
Ancelotti and Everton will be hoping to see more from Kean, though, with the 6ft Italian only boasting the one goal to his name after 32 appearances across all competitions.