Tottenham are reportedly interested in a January swoop for AC Milan midfielder Franck Kessie and may offer Tanguy Ndombele in a part-exchange swap deal.
According to the reports in Calcio Mercato, Tottenham are keeping a close watch on the situation surrounding midfielder Franck Kessie future at AC Milan and can capitalize on the contract saga developing at San Siro. The Lilywhites are looking at it as an opportunity to get rid of an unhappy Tanguy Ndombele by using him as a makeweight in a potential swap deal.
Kessie’s future has been uncertain over recent weeks, and the contract situation is becoming more complicated and precarious than ever. The Ivory Coast international’s contract is ending in June 2022, and he has rejected AC Milan’s improved offer, which is understood to be around €6.5 million approximately as it is well off from his €10 million per year expectations.
The 24-year-old is open to renewing his contract at San Siro but wants €8 million upfront each year plus €2 million in additional bonuses. Milan are unwilling to pay that much and are holding out, expecting the player to take a U-turn on his demands and renew his deal on their terms.
This has resulted in a standoff between both parties with negotiations currently stalled, and now there’s a real possibility that the Rossoneri may be forced to cash him on as early as in January to prevent losing their prized asset for free next summer.
This scenario and the prospect of getting a quality player on bargain fee has certainly alerted the top European clubs, including Liverpool, PSG and Juventus. But it’s Spurs who are ready to step up their interest in bringing Kessie to North London and are prepared to launch an offer involving out-of-favour Ndombele in a potential swap to lure Milan into accepting a deal.
Ndombele joined Spurs’ back in 2019, completing a club-record move from Lyon. The 24-year-old has struggled for consistency and had a turbulent time at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. He was linked with a move away from North London throughout the summer but eventually ended up staying.
The Frenchman, who still has four years left to run on his contract, reportedly lodged a transfer request and has not even played a single minute of football under new boss Nuno Espirito Santo. And, director Fabio Paratici is interested in an opportunity to trade an unhappy player with one of the best midfielders in Serie A.
Meanwhile, Kessie is coming on the back of a prolific campaign as he finished with a tally of 13 goals and four assists from 37 Serie A games, helping the Rossoneri secure a second-place league finish qualifying for the Champions League. He is an all-action midfielder who can contribute on both ends of the pitch.
Kessie would represent an exciting signing for the Lilywhites’ considering his goal-scoring ability and drive from midfield. Tottenham’s currently lacks a ball-carrier from the midfield. This leaves a void for an energetic box-to-box midfielder at the centre of the park, which the Ivorian can fill. The Kessie-Milan contract turmoil puts Tottenham very much in the driving seat to seal the deal.
