Everton

Marco Silva has confirmed Manchester United's long-rumoured interest in Everton star Richarlison, but the forward has reportedly decided against moving away from Goodison Park. 

According to Andy Hunter of the Guardian, Richarlison could sign a new five-year contract with the Toffees ahead of Wednesday's Merseyside derby against Liverpool at Anfield.

Silva, who is under pressure as Everton manager after a poor run of results, said it is crucial the Toffees keep hold of players like Richarlison:

"I believe it is not just Manchester United [who are interested]. I believe it is some more. As a club, we have to keep our best players. Unfortunately we did not keep one of them in the summer [Idrissa Gana Gueye], but to keep growing and going in the right way we want our most important players, our best players, and we should keep all of them. Then we can keep growing. We don't see other clubs who want to grow selling their best players. That is what we should do."

Everton go into Wednesday's meeting against table-topping Liverpool sitting just two points above the relegation zone in the Premier League:

Matchweek 14 ✅
Matchweek 15 ⏳ pic.twitter.com/ZQengQd5bc

— Premier League (@premierleague) December 3, 2019

Silva has overseen a run of just two wins in 10 league games despite spending over £100 million on signings in the summer.

The Portuguese manager is now in his second season in charge at Goodison, but he has failed to live up to expectations.

Last term, despite similarly high outlays on the likes of Richarlison (£40 million) and Yerry Mina (£27 million), the Toffees failed to trouble the European places as they finished eighth.

Silva, 42, now looks to be on borrowed time:

Winnable games coming up for Everton?

Or have the fans run out of patience with Marco Silva?#MOTD2 pic.twitter.com/TXi6OAb5bo

— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) December 2, 2019

Given the profile of the club and the money they have spent, as well as the fact teams like Manchester United, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur are faltering this season, Everton should arguably be fighting for the top four.

Instead they are in danger of being dragged into a relegation battle.

If Richarlison signs a new deal, though, it will be a rare piece of good news for Everton and Silva.

The 22-year-old Brazil international has scored 17 league goals since joining the club from Watford in the summer of 2018, more than any other Everton player in that period. 

Former Everton director Steve Walsh has said the club passed on several tremendous value deals during his time there, including for Liverpool's Andy Robertson, Salzburg's Erling Braut Haaland, Manchester United's Harry Maguire and Leicester City's Jonny Evans. 

Walsh spoke to The Athletic's Rob Tanner (h/t Goal's Chris Burton), saying the club's refusal to back him cost them dearly in the long run:

"While I was at Everton, I offered them Andrew Robertson and Harry Maguire deals, when they were at Hull, and it was worth £20 million for the pair. Everton wouldn't take them.

"I had a deal done for Jonny Evans too before he came to Leicester, but again they wouldn't take him.

"Erling Haaland, the striker with Salzburg, I had him and his dad at the club with a deal done for €4 million. The club wouldn't back me."

Haaland is one of the most wanted forwards in all of Europe after a hot start to the season, while Maguire and Robertson have established themselves among the Premier League's best defenders. Evans has been a key cog for the Foxes after leaving West Bromwich Albion.

A former scout with Chelsea and Leicester, Walsh was unable to find success at Goodison Park during his time there, and was replaced by Marcel Brands in 2018.

The Athletics' Greg O'Keefe noted the former director left out some of his biggest transfer misses with the Toffees, and his spell in charge set the club back significantly:

In a broader financial sense #Everton are still feeling the financial burden of Walsh and Koeman’s unsuccessful dynamic at the club. More insight on that here...https://t.co/sSjyAnXA0r

— Greg O'Keeffe (@GregOK) November 18, 2019

Paddy Power also weighed in on his claims:

Former director of football Steve Walsh says he advised Everton to sign Andy Robertson and Harry Maguire when they were at Hull, discovered Gary Goals and invented Broadband.

— Paddy Power (@paddypower) November 18, 2019

The Toffees haven't finished in the Premier League top five since the 2013-14 campaign, cracking the 50-point barrier only twice in that span. They have finished in eighth place the last two seasons.

This season has been another disappointing one so far for the club, taking a massive step back. Everton and Tottenham Hotspur are currently tied on 14 points in the Premier League, good for a share of 14th place.

Top summer signing Moise Kean has yet to find the net and has played less than 100 minutes across all competitions since the start of October.

Walsh's biggest hits during his time with Leicester include Jamie Vardy, Riyad Mahrez and N'Golo Kante, all key members during their 2015-16 title run. He is reportedly scouting for fellow Premier League side Southampton.

Everton's Moise Kean has hit out at comments made by his own father, Biorou Jean Kean, after he said the striker's move to the Premier League was a "mistake."

Biorou Jean Kean recently said he disagreed with his son's summer switch from Juventus to Everton:

🗣️ Moise Kean's father, Jean:

"Sending him to England was a huge mistake. He is still young and not feeling good at Everton.

"I hope he can go back to Italy and go to Roma, alongside his dear friend [Nicolo] Zaniolo."

🇮🇹🔙? pic.twitter.com/6gN9j9WVBI

— GOAL (@goal) November 16, 2019

Per MailOnline's Daniel Davis, Biorou Jean Kean added he "didn't like this transfer," but his son has since responded on Instagram: "Don't talk about my life when yours is not an example. I don't fear the hard times when the best comes [after] them."

Shortly before the 19-year-old completed his £25.1 million move to Goodison Park in the summer, his father said he had once blocked him joining Manchester United when he was younger:

Moise Kean was heading to Man United, until his father intervened 😱 pic.twitter.com/PO0P1JDtmU

— GOAL (@goal) August 1, 2019

Moise Kean is now represented by Mino Raiola, but his father served as his agent when he joined Juventus' academy in 2010.

It is not the first time Moise Kean has publicly responded to comments made by his father.

In March, the teenager slammed his father's assertion that Juventus owed him two tractors as part of the deal that saw the striker join the club.

Per ESPN FC's Ben Gladwell, Moise Kean responded to the comments on Instagram: "Tractors???! I don't know what you're talking about. If I am the man I am today it's only THANKS TO MY MOTHER and with this I've said everything! And don't ever forget who puts food on your table when your belly is full."

Moise Kean hasn't enjoyed the best of starts at Everton having failed to score in 11 appearances for the club, although he has only started four games.

He didn't make the matchday squad for the Toffees' 2-1 win at Southampton last time out, and he was an unused substitute in the two matches that preceded it.

The striker is an outstanding prospect, though. He netted seven times from six Bianconeri starts last season, as well as scoring his first two senior goals for Italy.

Moise Kean isn't the only Everton player to struggle in the opening months of this season, either. The Toffees are 15th after 12 games, so it would be harsh to judge him on his performances so far, even if they haven't been his best.

He signed a five-year contract at Everton, so there's plenty of time for him to be a success there.  

Everton striker Moise Kean's father has said his move from Juventus to Goodison Park "was a mistake" and hopes the 19-year-old returns to Italy "as soon as possible." 

Biorou Jean Kean told Centro Suono Sport (h/t Will Griffee for MailOnline) that he is hopeful his son can join Serie A side Roma and was also critical of the starlet's agent Mino Raiola.

"Sending my son to England was a mistake, because he's still too young, he's not feeling good at Everton, I didn't like this transfer. I hope he can come back to Italy as soon as possible, I hope he goes to Rome, but the important thing is that he comes back here.

"I don't have a relationship with Raiola, I have never met him, I don't think he even wants to see me. He demanded my son's power of attorney when he was 14 and together with my ex-wife he wanted to take him to England. At Everton, where he is playing now, he is not settling in well. I think he was supposed to wait a few more years before he had an experience abroad. If there is a possibility for him to come back to Italy, I hope he can do that, so as not to ruin him."

Kean joined Everton in July for an initial fee of £29 million and agreed to pay him £2.75 million a year, according to Fabrizio Romano at the Guardian.

The deal was initially seen as a real coup for Everton given Kean's talent and youth, and the fact they had been able to convince one of Europe's brightest young stars to swap Juventus for Goodison Park.

Football writer Mina Rzouki highlighted why Kean is so highly-rated:

While the world discusses what a great deal Manchester United could make for Dybala, Everton just bought the hottest kid in Italy. Moise Kean isn’t just bright, electric to watch and has the best minutes per goal ration of any striker in Serie A but his work ethic is sublime.

— Mina Rzouki (@Minarzouki) August 4, 2019

Yet Kean has struggled to make much of an impression on Merseyside since his move. He has made only two Premier League starts and is yet to open his account for his new club.

The teenager was dropped from the squad for Everton's trip to Southampton because he was late for a team meeting, according to Sky Sports News. The report also noted how it was the second time the youngster had been late for a team meeting.

Raiola is reportedly unhappy with Kean's lack of game time at Everton and has contacted AC Milan to discuss a January move, according to Calciomercato's Apollo Heyes.

Meanwhile, Roma have also reportedly expressed interest, and Everton are considering whether a loan move back to Italy might aid his development, per Corriere dello Sport (h/t Jordan Seward for MailOnline).

There is no doubt that Kean has not had the impact expected when he signed for Everton, yet it seems unlikely the club would be willing to give up on such a promising youngster so soon after investing heavily in his talents.

Everton announced on Monday that Andre Gomes has undergone successful surgery to repair a fracture dislocation to his right ankle and are expecting the midfielder to make a full recovery:

💙 | A positive update on @aftgomes. 🙏

On behalf of Andre, we'd like to thank everybody for their support. #EFC pic.twitter.com/RHuIkOAr8V

— Everton (@Everton) November 4, 2019

The 26-year-old suffered the injury during Sunday's 1-1 Premier League draw with Tottenham Hotspur at Goodison Park. He received lengthy treatment on the pitch and was taken straight to Liverpool's Aintree Hospital.

Everton have stated Gomes will "now spend some time recovering in hospital" before starting a rehabilitation programme with the club's medical staff, per their official website. 

Gomes was injured following a challenge from Heung-Min Son that left the Spurs forward visibly distraught. He was sent off for his tackle and consoled in the dressing room by Everton captain Seamus Coleman.

Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino thanked the Everton players for their reaction, per the Guardian's Andy Hunter:

Seamus Coleman went to Spurs changing room after game to console Son. "I want to say thank you to Coleman and the Everton players, they were fantastic" says Mauricio Pochettino, who insists Son should not have been sent off for tackle that led to Andre Gomes' injury.

— Andy Hunter (@AHunterGuardian) November 3, 2019

The South Korea international was described by team-mate Ben Davies as "broken" after the match and will be offered professional counselling, according to Dan Kilpatrick at the Evening Standard.

The horrific nature of Gomes' injury affected many of the other players on the pitch. Toffees striker Cenk Tosun has explained how the Toffees felt after seeing the incident, per Dominic King for the Daily Mail.

"Everybody is so sad inside," he said. "Some players, they nearly cried. Andre was in shock. His eyes were open so big. He was crying, shouting and screaming. I just tried to hold him and speak to him. I tried to tell him to stay calm. We couldn't understand him. He was the one who had got the injury."

Gomes received messages of support from across the football world after suffering the injury, including from former clubs Barcelona, Valencia and Benfica:

We are sorry to hear about the horrible injury of André Gomes. We wish you a speedy recovery, and our thoughts are with you. 💙❤️🙏 https://t.co/f9vVMtBQT9

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) November 3, 2019

Sending well wishes from all of Valencia CF to former player @aftgomes. Get well soon, André! 🦇🖤💙 https://t.co/fnO8JlDx0e

— Valencia CF (@valenciacf_en) November 3, 2019

🙏 Wishing @aftgomes a fast recovery, our thoughts are with you!#EPluribusUnum pic.twitter.com/YxRKicNfCm

— SL Benfica (@slbenfica_en) November 3, 2019

The injury is expected to rule Gomes out for a significant period of time, but manager Marco Silva told reporters after the match the Portuguese midfielder will come back stronger.

"It was a really tough moment for us, forgetting the game and the result," he said. "A tough moment for our dressing room. Andre will have all the support he needs. I am 100 per cent sure he will become stronger as a football player and a man. He is a fantastic man and a fantastic professional."

Tottenham took the lead in the match through Dele Alli's 63rd-minute goal off an assist from Son, but Tosun netted a 97th-minute equaliser to secure a point for the Toffees.

Everton's Andre Gomes suffered a horrific leg injury in the second half of the Toffees' Premier League match against Tottenham Hotspur at Goodison Park on Sunday.

Gomes went down under a challenge from Heung-Min Son, who was visibly distressed at the situation and subsequently saw his yellow card upgraded to a red before the Portuguese midfielder was stretchered off:

79' Red card for Son. Long delay in play here as Gomes receives treatment for what looks like a very serious leg injury. #EVETOT

🔵 0-1 ⚪

— Everton (@Everton) November 3, 2019

Andre Gomes suffers a disgusting injury and fouler Heung-min Son is in tears. Replays not being shown bc of nature of injury, and Son's yellow becomes a red. He's devastated at the injury, not the red.

— Nicholas Mendola (@NicholasMendola) November 3, 2019

Andre Gomes was carried off after a horrific injury against Tottenham.

Get well soon, Andre 🙏 pic.twitter.com/qFLC5QYU62

— B/R Football (@brfootball) November 3, 2019

Heung-min Son left in tears after his tackle led to Andre Gomes’ injury 💔 pic.twitter.com/phkjCK2T7j

— B/R Football (@brfootball) November 3, 2019

Everton later announced that Gomes suffered a fracture dislocation of his right ankle and will undergo surgery on Monday.

Spurs full-back Serge Aurier, who collided with Gomes after Son's challenge, was also clearly upset by the injury, as were numerous other players.

Referee Martin Atkinson's decision to dismiss Son seemingly due to the severity of the injury was widely questioned:

Son clearly massively upset. Without the injury he wouldn’t have been shown a red card. He’ll care less about that than injuring a fellow professional so seriously. Such a shame.

— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) November 3, 2019

That's so unlucky. Son with a bad tackle - probably a yellow - and Gomes slides into Aurier, which I think has caused the injury. That's absolutely awful. It's NEVER a red card, though; Atkinson officiating on emotion there.

— Harry Sherlock (@Harry_Sherlock) November 3, 2019

https://twitter.com/DanielHarris/status/1191057515380957185

At the time of Gomes' injury, Everton were trailing 1-0 to Dele Alli's 63rd-minute goal with only 10 minutes of normal time remaining.

However, 12 minutes of injury time were duly added and Cenk Tosun subsequently headed a late equaliser for the hosts.

There was little to celebrate for either side come the final whistle, though, and both remain in the bottom half of the table. 

Based on the reaction to his injury, it seems likely Gomes, 26, will now be set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines, a big blow for the Toffees as he has been a key player for them this term.

Morgan Schneiderlin has questioned his decision to depart Manchester United after only 18 months at Old Trafford.

The France international opted to leave the Red Devils for Everton after a disappointing opening to his United career.

Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live (h/t BBC Sport's Simon Stone), Schneiderlin explained his frustration under Jose Mourinho prompted a transfer to Goodison Park.

"I wanted to do more and I had the capacity to do more," Schneiderlin said. "Maybe I jumped out of the boat too quickly when I didn't play for three months. When I look at other players having a great career at Manchester United, they all had a spell of four or five months when they didn't play."

Schneiderlin had built himself a strong reputation after seven years with Southampton, and his switch to United appeared to be a natural progression for the Frenchman.

However, he made only 29 appearances under Louis van Gaal during his first Premier League campaign, and when the Dutch coach was sacked at the end of the season, he failed to convince Mourinho of his talent.

Schneiderlin played just 11 minutes of Premier League football for Mourinho during 2016-17, and he moved to Merseyside for an initial £20 million in January 2017.

The player was viewed as a natural long-term replacement for Michael Carrick in United's midfield, and the capture of Bayern Munich legend Bastian Schweinsteiger should have given the Red Devils a solid central midfield to build upon, with Paul Pogba also convinced to sign for United from Juventus.

Schneiderlin added he believes fans and pundits misunderstand his strengths and qualities after receiving criticism of his playing style.

"Some people say I pass square but I don't see it. Look at [Sergio] Busquets at Barcelona. I don't compare myself to him but tell me the passes he does that I don't? Because they win games everyone says he's the cleverest midfielder in football. I don't compare myself to Busquets.

"Football is about perception. You can play the same game but it will be analysed differently depending on whether you have won or lost."

United turned Ander Herrera into a midfield enforcer during Van Gaal and Mourinho's tenures, but Schneiderlin would have been a better fit for this role.

However, the step up to the Red Devils appeared to affect his form and confidence, and his arrival coincided with huge transition at Old Trafford.

Schneiderlin had been a regular in France's squad before he signed for United, but he's not made an international appearance since 2015.

The 29-year-old made just 10 Premier League starts last term, but he has been in Everton's starting XI for six league games this season.  

Everton centre-back Yerry Mina will have to pay a fine worth £10,000 but won't serve a suspension after admitting to a breach of the English Football Association's betting rules.

The FA fined Mina on Tuesday after he made an appearance in a betting advert for Colombian company Betjuego, per BBC Sport.

A statement from the FA described the fine as "appropriate and proportionate in the circumstances." Those circumstances include "strong mitigation put forward by the player and his club."

Mitigation in Mina's case came from Everton telling the FA the 24-year-old's "command of the English language is limited." It led to a misunderstanding of the rules governing betting.

Mina also admitted the charge and offered an apology. What he didn't do was profit from the advert, which was not screened outside of Colombia.

Money from the appearance went to the Yerry Mina Foundation, a charitable enterprise dedicated to helping disadvantaged youths in Guachene, Colombia, where the player was born.

Mina's case was also helped by the advert being removed once he recognised his mistake, according to the BBC report. Despite all of the mitigating factors in his favour, the FA still felt compelled to at least fine Mina, citing a responsibility to defend the "integrity of the game."

However, Richard Martin of Reuters sees an irony in the FA's treatment of the broader issue:

All for more regulation of gambling but this just doesn't make any sense and seems like FA very willing to be seen to be doing something against gambling but very unwilling for clubs to part with the vast amounts of money they receive from it.

— Richard Martin (@RichMartinMcr) September 10, 2019

Avoiding suspension is a huge boost for Everton, who have been counting on Mina at the heart of their defence this season. The former Barcelona man has formed a rugged partnership with fellow centre-back Michael Keane.

Depth is thin at the position in Marco Silva's squad, with only 22-year-old Mason Holgate available for cover.

Mina's case presented circumstances the FA couldn't ignore. It was not the same for Leeds United midfielder Jordan Stevens, who learned on Tuesday he must serve a six-week FA ban and pay a fine worth £1,200 for breaking betting rules, per BBC Sport.

Leeds chief executive Angus Kinnear labelled the decision "disproportionate punishment."

Suspensions have become the norm in these cases, with former Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge incurring a six-week ban, with four suspended, and paying a £75,000 fine back in July after being found guilty of a breach.

Everton added another talented forward to their squad on Thursday, signing Alex Iwobi from Arsenal.

The Toffees announced the news on Twitter:

✅ Creativity
✅ Flair
✅ Youth

✍️ Signed, sealed, delivered!

Never in doubt, @alexiwobi! 😅 #EFC

— Everton (@Everton) August 8, 2019

The deal was officially announced after the Premier League's summer transfer deadline had already passed. Iwobi signed a five-year deal.

The 23-year-old Nigeria international is a product of the Arsenal academy, making his first-team debut in 2015. He made 22 Premier League starts last season, scoring three goals and adding six assists.

Sky Sports' Matt Cheetham is a fan:

Very up for Iwobi - created more from open play and at a better rate than anyone at Everton last season, and most at Arsenal. Adds more off the ball, and just 23

— Matt Cheetham (@Matt_Cheetham) August 8, 2019

While the winger can struggle with his finishing―he has never scored more than three goals in a Premier League season―he is an expert at setting up team-mates:

Alex Iwobi has created 18 Big Chances for Arsenal in the Premier League since the 2016-17 season, only Mesut Özil (25) has created more.

Big 17 → Big 18 😉 pic.twitter.com/THeXVZHP50

— Squawka (@Squawka) August 8, 2019

The Toffees already signed a young ace striker in Moise Kean earlier this season, so finding a solid creator to provide him with service was their next objective.

Iwobi's development slowed in the last few seasons, but he often struggled to get a consistent run in the team at the Emirates Stadium and should benefit from the more regular playing time he's likely to receive at Goodison Park.

Arsenal will miss his ability to create, but after signing Nicolas Pepe from Lille, they were always likely to cash in on one of their wingers. The Ivorian is a far more productive option out wide, scoring an impressive 22 goals in Ligue 1 last season.

April 6, 2019, Juventus Stadium

With the scores deadlocked at 1-1, Max Allegri knew he needed to make a change. Searching for a way to open up AC Milan, the Juventus boss gave his instructions and prepared to make a 66th-minute substitution. The fourth official's board showed that No. 10, Paulo Dybala, was the man to be replaced, the Argentina international begrudgingly making his way to the sideline where he would ensure everyone watching could see his displeasure.

Yet while La Joya complained on the bench, those left on the field continued to probe for a way past a well-organised Rossoneri back line.

Less than 20 minutes later, Miralem Pjanic would pounce on a sloppy pass from Davide Calabria and drive into the penalty area. With the Milan defence swarming towards him to snuff out the danger, the Bosnian playmaker calmly rolled a perfect ball into the path of his striker, and Moise Kean made no mistake, drilling a low shot into the opposite corner past Pepe Reina. Kean—the 19-year-old who had been sent on for Dybala—had a match-winning goal and his face on the front of the Sunday-morning newspapers.

It wasn't the first time; his strike against Milan marked the fifth consecutive game he had found the net for club or country. Remarkable considering that prior to the 2018/19 campaign, Kean had played just 18 minutes for Juventus and had not even represented Italy at under-21 level.

Now Kean is a €32 million player on his way to the Premier League with Everton.

Behind Kean's meteoric rise is an incredible story, one which begins in the small town of Asti. Located around 35 miles east of Turin, it is a quiet and peaceful place that was the birthplace of Vittorio Alfieri. Considered one of the greatest dramatists in Italian history, he would be proud to have penned a script like the one Kean is playing out.

---

The opening scene of his career would be in Asti, with Kean accompanying his older brother, Giovanni, to training with local side A.C.D. Asti. "That's when I first saw Moise play," Remo Turello, the club's former vice-president, tells B/R. "He was only six years old and had just tagged along one morning, but it was clear immediately that he was special. His touch and coordination were so much better than the other boys. Even when we put him in with our 10-year-olds, he often looked like the best player on the pitch."

With such talent, it was clear the fifth-tier club were not going to be able to hold onto him. One of the coaches at Asti was Renato Biasi, a goalkeeper who had played for Torino in Serie A.

A lifelong fan of the Granata, he immediately called the man in charge of the club's youth sector, Silvano Benedetti, and explained the situation before taking Kean to Turin. The youngster was immediately given a place, but a financial issue soon began to emerge.

Moise Kean avec le maillot du Torino pic.twitter.com/h9fjtgm6f8

— Moise Kean (@MoiseKeanFr) May 3, 2019

"Logistical problems arose because the family could not bear the costs of the boy's travels," Biasi told La Stampa in March, in the midst of his scoring spree. "It was necessary to drive him back and forth from Asti to Turin, but Torino were not as well-organised as they are now…"

That was all Juventus needed to know, and they pounced quickly, helping Kean and his family move near their training ground and ensuring they had everything they needed to be comfortable. "There wasn't a lot of money coming in. I worked at a treatment facility and often did night shifts," his mother, Isabelle, told Tuttosport. "Then one day, he called me at 5:30 in the evening. I was going to work in Nizza Monferrato. I got scared, I thought something had happened to him.

"Instead he says to me, 'Mum, there's a surprise for you.' I replied, 'Don't tell me you didn't sign for Juve.' He said, 'No Mum, I've signed. You don't have to work anymore and you can live with me in Turin!"

She did, and Toro's loss was undoubtedly their neighbours' gain as Kean quickly settled into the youth sector, finding the back of the net with startling regularity. As the 2016/17 season got underway, he had bagged 21 goals in just 10 games for Juve's under-15s, 24 in 26 for the U17s, six in 10 for the Primavera (U19s) and 13 in 27 appearances for Italy's various national youth sides.

Max Allegri couldn't ignore his form and decided to put him into the first team. On November 19, 2016, he became the youngest first-team debutant in club history at the age of 16 years, eight months and 23 days. Three days later, Kean became the first player born in the 2000s to make his Champions League debut, and on the final day of the season, he became the first man born in the 21st century to score in Serie A courtesy of a last-minute winner against Bologna.

---

Kean would spend the 2017/18 campaign with Hellas Verona, scoring four goals in 19 appearances for a poorly constructed team that was quickly relegated back to Serie B. He returned to Juve better for the experience, but with Cristiano Ronaldo's arrival it was still a surprise that he wasn't sent out on loan again.

He remained part of Allegri's squad but made just two brief appearances as a substitute before the calendar flipped over to 2019. A start against Bologna saw him score once again and, needing to rotate the side for a forthcoming Champions League clash, Allegri would name Kean in the starting XI when Udinese visited the Allianz Stadium on March 8.

Moise Kean put on a show last weekend. 💪⚽️ Relive his brace against Udinese right now.

Fore more videos, head over to @Dugout ➡️https://t.co/1ONBvrv6eB pic.twitter.com/u2o4Mnrp5s

— JuventusFC 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@juventusfcen) March 16, 2019

The 19-year-old put on a show that day, scoring two superbly taken goals, but there were even better scenes in the stands. Sat close to the suspended Miralem Pjanic were Kean's mother and uncle. Their celebrations of his brace spread quickly on social media, with Isabelle happy to reveal just how difficult their journey had been before that day.

"I arrived in Italy from Ivory Coast in 1990, in Vercelli, where my children were born, Giovanni in 1993 and Mose in 2000," she told Tuttosport. "We call him Mose at home because his birth was a miracle. The doctors told me that I couldn't have any more children, I cried and prayed until one night I dreamed of Moses, he had come to help me and, four months later, I was pregnant again.

"Moise's success has repaid all the sacrifices I made in the past and I've told him to keep going like this, to always listen to the coach and his older team-mates. It's a great satisfaction for a mother to see that her son has made it and reached such high levels. I never imagined it, especially thinking where we came from."

That does not surprise Turello, who told B/R, "Since the beginning, she has always been there and is his main point of reference." Kean listened to her, working tirelessly to improve and has been paying close attention to the efforts of one team-mate in particular.

"I always try to be ready and train regularly so that I'm prepared when the time comes," Kean told reporters in March. "I learn from Cristiano Ronaldo, in training, I steal his secrets. I can only learn from him. It happens every day." 

---

After his two goals helped Juve to smash Udinese 4-1, Kean was called up to the Italy squad by Roberto Mancini, who looked on proudly as he struck in both matches the Azzurri played during the March international break, a 2-0 win over Finland and a 6-0 thrashing of Liechtenstein. Lauding the striker's "enormous potential" to reporters shortly after the final whistle against Finland, the former Manchester City boss was pleased with what he saw, and the confidence Kean gained helped spark a remarkable run of form when domestic action resumed. 

He would net the only goal of a 1-0 win over Empoli, showing off some delightful touches. "Beyond his quality as a player, he was a coordinated child from all points of view," Biasi told La Stampa. "With him everything was natural, nothing is forced, and do you know why? Because while his peers were playing at home on the Playstation, he had nothing but a ball!"

Honing his skills in the dusty courtyard of a local church, an article on The Players' Tribune revealed another secret of those formative years. "If you wanted to play in our neighbourhood, you could always find a football in the priest's office at the oratory near our house," wrote Kean. "The priest was a nice man who kept all the balls in a drawer. But, you see, here's the thing: He never locked it. So every time I lost my own ball—maybe because I had kicked it over a fence—I would sneak over to the oratory, wait for the priest to go upstairs, and then take a ball from his drawer." 

All that innocence was laid bare when Juve played away at Cagliari. As the home fans watched Kean tearing through their side, they took to making monkey noises every time he touched the ball. Blaise Matuidi—who had been abused in similar fashion by the same supporters a year earlier—pleaded with the referee to take action.

He didn't, leaving Kean himself to silence their inexcusable abuse the only way he knew how. Timing his run perfectly to meet Rodrigo Bentancur's cross, he smashed the ball into the back of the net before spreading his arms in a shrug aimed at the same fans who had been taunting him. "The best way to respond to racism" he wrote in a since deleted Instagram post. 

Many other players around the world come out in support of the Juve youngster. Unfortunately his team-mate Leonardo Bonucci was not one of them. "I think the blame is 50-50, because Moise shouldn't have [celebrated in front of them] and the Curva should not have reacted that way," the defender told Sky Italia. "We are professionals, we have to set the example and not provoke anyone." 

That drew sharp criticism from all corners. Raheem Sterling, Stormzy and Memphis Depay all took turns lambasting the Italy international before Mario Balotelli weighed in, commenting that "Bonucci is lucky that I wasn't there."

Cagliari received no punishment for the abuse, while Kean was incredibly fined €2,000 for diving, but he did not miss a beat. He went on to score the aforementioned match-winning goal against Milan just four days later before striking again against SPAL the following weekend. That meant he had found the net in six consecutive games, but those who know him best are totally unsurprised by the impact he had despite playing in such high-pressure matches.

Six goals in Moise Kean's last six games in all competitions.

Unfazed. pic.twitter.com/tYiK1ZcoHj

— B/R Football (@brfootball) April 2, 2019

"In the years since he left here, I have always followed his progress closely," Turello told B/R. "I believe that this is only the beginning of a career that has ample room for improvement but that also depends on his mentality growing too. Moise is a player who has a sense of where the goal is, he sees where to be like so few in his position and always knows where to shoot the ball."

The results of the last few months support that belief, and his first coach is another who keeps a close eye on his former pupil. "We often exchange messages and I always try to watch him when he plays," Biasi told La Stampa. "When he scored the first goal in Serie A for Juventus, I got up from his chair, and for a true Toro fan like me, that is not an easy thing to admit!"

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What matters now is that he continues to shine. Comparisons to Mario Balotelli—sparked initially when Kean unveiled a "why always me" t-shirt while celebrating a goal for the Juve under-19s—thankfully seem way off the mark.

"Kean attacks the space and pushes forward in the most extraordinary way," Bianconeri skipper Giorgio Chiellini told reporters in the mixed zone following the match with Empoli. "Kean has more physicality than Mario, and his goal tonight was almost in the style of David Trezeguet. Mario might have more of an eye for goal, but Kean has a better shot from distance and attacks the space a lot more."

🇮🇹👶
At 19 years & 31 days, Moise Kean is the youngest player to score his first eight @SerieA goals since Mario Balotelli (18 years, 242 days)

H/T @OptaPaolo pic.twitter.com/miimRNKaTH

— FIFA (@FIFAcom) March 31, 2019

Others are willing to go even further, including his barber, Alessandro Sesta. "I take care of his hair, but the only other thing in his head is Juve!" he told Gazzetta dello Sport in April. "Believe me, the comparison with Balotelli just doesn't hold up when you know Moise properly."

The future has yet to be written, but Turello believes Kean will thrive in the Premier League. "I think he is a suitable player for English football," the former Asti vice-president told B/R.

Whatever happens, he has come a long way, from the dusty church courtyard in Asti to the front pages of every Italian newspaper following that goal against Milan. It won't be the last time, and the name Moise Kean is one to pay close attention to for the foreseeable future.

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