Chelsea have reportedly established contact with AC Milan star Franck Kessie, who is on the radars of Liverpool, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur.
According to a report from 90 Min, Tottenham Hotspur are preparing a contract offer for AC Milan mainstay Franck Kessie, but will face competition from Premier League rivals Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United, all of whom have made contact with the midfielder’s agent.
Kessie has grown into one of the best central midfielders in the Serie A since his move to AC Milan from Atalanta in 2017. Having initially arrived on a two-year loan deal, the 25-year-old joined the Rossoneri permanently in the summer of 2019. He has made 205 appearances for the Italian giants, producing a return of 35 goals and 16 assists in the process.
Kessie enjoyed his career-best season in 2020/21 as Milan finished runners-up in the Serie A, and he has made a solid enough start to the ongoing campaign, netting five goals in 16 league outings. However, his future at the San Siro has been cast into major doubt as the Ivory Coast international will be out of contract at the end of the season.
Milan have tried to convince the ex-Atalanta ace to prolong his stay in Lombardy, but their contract offers have not met the midfielder’s demands. The situation has attracted interest from clubs across Europe. PSG and Real Madrid are believed to be in talks to sign him. A plethora of clubs from England are also in the picture to sign him, with Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United and Tottenham keen.
The report mentioned above claims that Chelsea have already contacted the midfielder’s representatives to explore the possibility of a Bosman move at the end of the season. With N’Golo Kante struggling with injury problems of late and Saul Niguez unlikely to be signed permanently, Thomas Tuchel can do with a quality midfield operator like Kessie in their ranks.
As for Liverpool, the Reds did not replace Georginio Wijnaldum in the summer while James Milner is fast approaching the twilight of his career. Given that Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain continue to blow hot and cold, signing a player of Kessie’s abilities could be a shrewd signing. To that end, Jurgen Klopp’s side are already believed to have made an offer for the 25-year-old.
Meanwhile, Manchester United lack the kind of power and dynamism that Kessie provides in the middle of the park. Paul Pogba is likely to be on the move, Donny van de Beek could also leave as his struggles continue, while Nemanja Matic is not getting any younger. The AC Milan star’s ability to play multiple roles in midfield makes him an appealing prospect for Ralf Rangnick.
With regard to Tottenham, Kessie would be a major upgrade on Tanguy Ndombele, who has failed to impress any of the managers he has played under at the club. Kessie’s ball-winning and ball-carrying abilities in midfield would make the Ivory Coast international an ideal partner for the likes of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Oliver Skipp, who do not necessarily offer the same kind of forward thrust.
Spurs are now ready to make a contract offer of their own for Kessie. But with competition intense, it remains to be seen where he ends up next season.
