(Reuters) – Italy have called up Juventus striker Moise Kean for next week’s Nations League final four tournament to replace the injured Ciro Immobile, the Italian Football Federation said on Sunday.
Lazio’s Immobile was forced to withdraw from Roberto Mancini’s squad after picking up a muscle injury in his side’s Europa League win over Lokomotiv Moscow on Thursday.
On Saturday, Kean played just 45 minutes of Juve’s 1-0 Turin derby victory over Torino and was replaced at halftime by coach Massimiliano Allegri.
In the close season, the 21-year-old returned to Juventus from Everton on an initial loan deal with an obligation to buy.
Italy will host the Nations League tournament which gets underway next Wednesday when the Azzurri take on Spain at the San Siro Stadium in Milan before Belgium face France in Turin in the second semi-final on Thursday.
The winners meet in the final next Sunday. Italy beat Spain on penalties in the Euro 2020 last four.
(Reporting by Peter Hall; editing by Ken Ferris)