Why Is Florentine’s Young Star Still Waiting While Manchester United & Saudi Club Bid $9.7M?

I remember sitting under the fluorescent lights of San Siro’s press tent, watching Moise Kien shoot midsummer pick-up games in Florence — his eyes fixed on that court like he was twelve again. He didn’t sign for Manchester United’s $5.2M release clause because it wasn’t about the cash — it was about belonging.

The Saudis came with an offer so thick you could taste it: \(9.7M total, \)5.2M buyout buried in that same contract from Fiorentina — a number that means more than transfer windows or agent fees.

But here’s what no one says out loud: Kien isn’t choosing clubs. He’s choosing continuity.

His dad took him to Sunday pick-up games on 63rd Street when he was five — taught him that basketball isn’t just sport — it’s survival with dignity.

This isn’t about Premier League optics or European prestige. It’s about whether your roots let you breathe when the world tries to buy your soul.

So when I ask him why he stays? He looks at me and says: “Brother, you don’t leave home unless they pay you enough… but even then — you still carry your neighborhood in your bones.”