Atletico Madrid will reportedly look to sign Franck Kessie from Barcelona, but the 26-year-old wants to move to the Premier League.
According to a report by Spanish outlet MARCA, Franck Kessie is the subject of interest from Atletico Madrid. The Colchoneros are in the market for a midfielder heading into the summer transfer window. But the Ivory Coast international wants to move to the Premier League if he leaves Barcelona.
Franck Kessie made an unpopular decision when he left AC Milan as a free agent last summer. The 26-year-old completed a Bosman move to Barcelona amid much hype and fanfare surrounding him. But he has failed to stamp his authority thus far at Spotify Camp Nou, with Xavi Hernandez using him as a backup option.
The Ivory Coast international was behind Sergio Busquets, Frenkie de Jong, Pedri, and Gavi in the pecking order. The former AC Milan talisman thus managed less than 2,000 minutes of game time, even though he made 43 appearances. And Kessie’s situation will unlikely improve much heading into the 2023/24 season.
Barcelona will sign Ilkay Gundogan in a Bosman move this summer. And the German midfielder’s arrival will spoil Kessie’s prospects for the upcoming season. So it behoves the player to leave Barcelona in the summer transfer window to resurrect his stuttering career. And Atletico Madrid might offer him an escape route from the Catalan club.
Atletico Madrid will likely part ways with Saul Niguez in the summer transfer window. And the Spaniard’s departure will open up a spot in the midfield unit at the Civitas Metropolitano. Kessie’s name thus features prominently on Atletico Madrid’s wishlist. But the Barcelona outcast wants to move to the Premier League this summer, according to a report by Mundo Deportivo.
The Ivory Coast international does not have a shortage of suitors from England, either. And recent reports have linked the Barcelona midfielder with Tottenham, Liverpool, and Aston Villa. So Kessie’s future might lie in the Premier League, handing a boost to the interested parties from the English top flight.
As for Atletico Madrid, the Colchoneros are also interested in Marco Verratti. But a move for the Paris Saint-Germain midfielder might not be possible either. And it will be interesting to see who they will turn to if they fail to land Verratti or Kessie.
