Manchester United could make a stunning 11th-hour swoop to sign Fiorentina striker Moise Kean before his release clause expires later today, according to reports. Ruben Amorim is believed to want a new striker this summer, and it has been suggested that he could pause his pursuit of Bryan Mbeumo to prioritise the position.
United are closing in on Mbeumo after over a month of negotiations with Brentford, who have rejected two formal bids. The Bees are said to want a higher fee than the £62.5million paid to sign Matheus Cunha from Wolves, with United's second offer worth a guaranteed £55m plus £7.5m in add-ons.
A breakthrough is expected this week ahead of the first fixture of the pre-season calendar against Leeds United on Saturday.
However, Italian reports insist that a drastic push to lure Kean to Old Trafford cannot be ruled out ahead of his release clause deadline.
According to Corriere dello Sport, the 25-year-old was not interest in approaches from Al-Qadsiah and Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia.
But it is claimed that the prospect of United activating his £45m release clause in the final hours of its validity is not off the table.
Kean joined Fiorentina from Juventus last summer in a deal worth £15.6m, and he enjoyed a career renaissance throughout the 2024/25 campaign.
The Italy international scored 25 goals in 44 appearances for La Viola, with only one of those strikes coming from the penalty spot.
He had previously struggled to find his feet at European heavyweight duo Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain.
Kean recorded just 22 goals in 123 games for Juve and netted 17 times in 41 outings for PSG. He tried his hand in the Premier League with Everton, but that move did not go to plan either.
In his only season at Goodison Park, he managed to score only four times in 39 games before spending the next three years out on loan.
Kean's previous struggles in English football could be a cause for concern, given United need a striker to arrive and hit the ground running immediately.
That thought process has fuelled the club's pursuit of Cunha and Mbeumo, two forwards with a positive track record on British shores.
But the Fiorentina star could be interested in a return to the Premier League so that he can prove himself in the world's most competitive division.