Manchester United reportedly have a fortnight to make a decision on Moise Kean, with his £44million release clause set to expire in two weeks as Ruben Amorim considers his options up front.
The club are keen to bring in a new No 9 after Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee - both potential departures - failed to meet expectations. Kean has been pinpointed as a potential recruit following a standout season with Fiorentina.
He netted 19 goals and provided three assists in 32 Serie A matches last term, helping the Florence-based club secure a spot in Europe. While they are hopeful of keeping Kean, the Italian does have a release clause, but it's only active for the first two weeks of July, according to Corriere dello Sport.
This puts United under pressure if they want to secure this price. After this period, Fiorentina would be free to set their own fee, potentially complicating negotiations.
Man Utd chiefs have already experienced how straightforward a transfer can be when a release clause is involved, having activated the £62.5m fee in Matheus Cunha's Wolves contract. They were able to agree a deal quickly, with the Brazilian remaining their sole summer signing so far.
On the other hand, Brentford have stood firm over Bryan Mbeumo, who is also on United's radar. The Bees have already turned down several offers for the Cameroon forward, and the Red Devils will need to fork out more than they did for Cunha if they wish to secure him.
A pure striker is also on their wish list, hence why Kean's name has popped up. The forward previously had a difficult spell in England with Everton, scoring just four goals in 39 matches between 2019 and 2022.
He has since restored his reputation with PSG and then back in Italy. His performances have caught the eye of Saudi team Al Qadsiah, but it's uncertain whether he would consider a move to the Middle East, while Amorim has yet to make an offer for a striker. He was interested in Liam Delap before he moved to Chelsea.
One of Kean's most disappointing moments in England occurred at Old Trafford when then-caretaker Everton manager Duncan Ferguson subbed him off just 18 minutes after bringing him on during a match that ended in a draw.