According to many observers, Italian forward Moise Kean is one of the best young players in the world game. When Everton snapped the youngster up from Juventus in the summer it was considered a massive coup.
However, things have not exactly yet worked out for the 19-year-old on Merseyside as of yet. On Tuesday night, Everton boss Marco Silva decided to field Kean out wide in a 2-0 defeat of Watford in the Carabao Cup fourth round.
The experiment failed, as the Portuguese boss replaced the Italian with Theo Walcott at half-time. In truth, Everton were poor in a first half that lacked much quality. Kean had not done anything particularly bad.
However, he struggled in an unfamiliar position. The fact that he has barely played any minutes as a wide player or winger in his short career so far probably explains why he floundered.
The Watford game was a chance to put Kean upfront and give him a good run out. The youngster is obviously struggling for confidence, as Silva has hardly started him upfront in the English top-flight. He has shown flashes of his ability when making fleeting appearances, but short cameos will not be enough to see him adapt to life in a new country and league.
Some Evertonian’s are now questioning whether Kean is the up-and-coming player they believed they were signing in the summer. Those Evertonian’s need to realise it takes time and patience for any player to become acclimatised to new surroundings, let alone a young player.
Everton’s other main striking option Dominic Calvert-Lewin has not exactly been prolific this season in front of goal. In fact, the former Sheffield United star has scored just three goals. He too is still learning but seems to have the confidence of boss Silva.
Kean has a lot of potential and could become a top striker in the future. He may not fulfil his potential, but he certainly will not develop by playing minutes here or there.