OFFICIALLY OFFICIAL: Juventus striker Moise Kean joins Hellas Verona on loan

Moise Kean’s quick rise up through the Juventus youth academy and into the first team was something not many of us were talking about this time last summer. We knew of him, but we probably didn’t think he would be setting records based on his youth in the Champions League or scoring game-winning goals in the Serie A finale like he did last season.

Those things put him in position to be a contributor, in some kind of capacity, come the 2017-18 campaign.

It just won’t be happening in Turin.

Both Juventus and Hellas Verona announced late Thursday night on Twitter that the 17-year-old Kean has been sent out on a season-long loan deal. Kean, who was with Juve’s first team all throughout the preseason tour of the United States, was an unused sub in the reigning champions’ first two Serie A matches of the season.

There are two things to keep an eye on because of this last-minute transfer:

1. Just how much playing time will Kean actually get considering Hellas Verona are likely to be fighting off relegation yet again this season.
2. With Mario Mandzukic clearly still being used on the left wing, who the heck is going to be Gonzalo Higuain’s backup this season?

At the tender age of 17, there’s no doubting that Kean needs to play and continue what seems like his high-speed development. And there’s no doubting that the amount of attacking options that’s currently in Turin is something we haven’t seen in a good amount of time.

But at the same time, with Kean being in the first team all throughout preseason and obviously showing he’s capable of making an impact last season, what’s the harm in keeping him around this season?

We don’t know what the motivations or intentions of Super Agent Mino are when it comes to Kean because he’s so damn young. But, as we experienced last season, he’s the shiny new toy that we want to see get his chance. The only thing is, with Thursday’s news, Kean will be doing such in a Hellas Verona jersey for the next 10 or so months.

I guess we’ll find out just how soon Kean will make his debut with Hellas seeing as they’re Juventus’ first opponent coming out of the international break next weekend.

(Never mind that last part.)