Official: Kean drops out of Italy squad ahead of Israel

Moise Kean has officially dropped out of the Italy national team squad and will now return to Fiorentina instead of taking part in Tuesday’s World Cup qualifier against Israel, the FIGC have confirmed. 

The Viola striker started in Saturday’s 3-1 World Cup qualifying victory against Estonia, scored after just four minutes, but was forced to withdraw with an ankle issue shortly afterwards. 

The Fiorentina and Italy striker underwent medical tests on Monday, and though the FIGC have not specified the exact nature of the issue, they have confirmed that Kean will not be able to take part against Israel on Tuesday. 

“Gennaro Gattuso will not be able to rely on Moise Kean, who will leave the training camp in the next few hours,” a statement from the FIGC read on Monday morning. 

“The tests carried out this morning have confirmed that the Fiorentina striker has not fully recovered from the injury to his right ankle that occurred against Estonia on Saturday, and is therefore not available for the match against Israel.” 

With Kean now out of the squad, and with Gattuso having deployed a front two in his first three matches in charge of the Azzurri, there will likely be an opportunity for Inter’s Francesco Pio Esposito to start for the first time in Kean’s absence. 

The 20-year-old has earned two caps from the substitutes’ bench since Gattuso took over, and scored his first international goal in the second half against Estonia on Saturday.