Barcelona have completed the first signing of the summer, with Franck Kessie joining on a free transfer after his contract with AC Milan ran out.
As confirmed on the club’s official website, Barcelona have signed Ivory Coast midfielder Franck Kessie on a Bosman deal after he became a free agent following the expiry of his contract with AC Milan.
Kessie had established himself as one of the best midfielders in Serie A during his five-year stint at San Siro. The 25-year-old signed off on his career with the Rossoneri by helping them win the Scudetto, ending an eleven-year title drought.
Milan had made several attempts to try and convince Kessie to prolong his stay at the club. However, the Ivorian had his heart set on a move to Barcelona and an agreement had been in place for quite some time now.
Indeed, Fabrizio Romano confirms that the contract agreement and the medicals had taken place as early as March. But the Blaugrana’s precarious financial situation had meant that they had held back on an official announcement and registration of the player.
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Welcome, Kessie! ?❤️ pic.twitter.com/wG051AUnpT
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) July 4, 2022
The sale of 10% TV rights to Sixth Street has unlocked the situation, though, with Barcelona president Joan Laporta confirming over the weekend that the club had plans to present Kessie and another new signing, in the form of Andreas Christensen, over the coming days.
Now, the Catalans have officially announced the signing of Kessie. As per the club’s statement, the 25-year-old has signed a four-year deal with Barcelona until the summer of 2026. The contract also includes a massive release clause worth €500 million.
Kessie becomes the first signing of the summer for Barcelona, with an official announcement regarding the signing of Christensen likely to follow imminently. The update also reveals that Kessie will be presented as a Blaugrana on Wednesday, July 6, when he will sign his contract and conduct his first press conference.
Barcelona are also believed to have an agreement to sign Raphinha from Leeds United while they continue to push for Bayern Munich superstar Robert Lewandowski and Jules Kounde of Sevilla, while Ousmane Dembele might also re-sign after his contract expired on June 30.
