Arsenal are reportedly in pole position in pursuit of Franck Kessie, who is valued at around €50 million by Serie A giants AC Milan.
According to a report by Italian publication Gazzetta dello Sport, Franck Kessie continues to face an uncertain future at AC Milan heading into the summer transfer window. The 24-year-old is could be headed for the exit doors at San Siro, with the Serie A giants slapping a €50 million price tag on him, as they hope to tie him down to a new deal.
Franck Kessie has blossomed into one of the most fearsome midfielders in Europe since joining AC Milan from Atalanta. Initially signed on a two-year loan deal in the summer of 2017, the Rossoneri made the switch permanent in 2019 and the Ivorian midfield powerhouse has not looked back one bit.
Coming off an immensely impressive 2020/21 campaign, Kessie played a key role in helping Milan clinch a top-four finish and return to the UEFA Champions League, with 14 goals and 6 assists in 50 appearances across all competitions. However, with his current deal having a little over a year left to run out, Kessie is facing an uncertain future at San Siro, with Arsenal among those alerted to his potential availability.
The Gunners were already in the market for a midfielder this summer following the departures of Dani Ceballos and Martin Odegaard at the end of their loan spells. With Granit Xhaka being heavily linked with a move to AS Roma, the situation has become even worse for Arsenal, who could well be forced to sign a couple of midfielders this summer.
To that end, the north Londoners have been targeting a glut of central midfielders, with Albert Sambi Lokonga, Sander Berge and Manuel Locatelli among those linked. And Kessie is a viable target for Arsenal as well, considering he has been among the very best in Serie A for quite some time now and can potentially even be an upgrade over Xhaka.
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Apart from Kessie, Houssem Aouar is another player on Arsenal’s radar, and it looks like the Premier League heavyweights are stepping up their efforts to land a central midfielder. As for Kessie, AC Milan are eager to tie him down to a bumper new deal that will hike his wages considerably but have also slapped a €50 million price tag on him in case they are forced to sell.
As per the report, Arsenal are the front-runners in pursuit of Kessie, although it remains to be seen if they are ready to meet the €50 million valuation imposed by Milan. For now, Kessie’s future at San Siro remains uncertain and it will be interesting to see if he leaves the Serie A giants anytime soon.
