Franck Kessie has been linked with a move away from Barcelona in the last few days, with Tottenham his likely destination.
According to a report from Spanish publication SPORT, Franck Kessie has fallen down the pecking order at Barcelona. And Tottenham are in pole position to sign the 25-year-old Ivorian midfielder.
Tottenham are “best positioned” to sign the physically-imposing midfielder, but he has offers from Inter Milan and Napoli as well. Apparently, the two Italian clubs have approached the Barcelona midfielder’s agent. But Tottenham have contacted Barcelona directly regarding a move. However, the Catalan club will not sanction his departure midway through the season unless they can bring in a suitable alternative.
Kessie joined Barcelona on a free transfer from AC Milan, but he has not been able to hold down a regular starting berth under Xavi Hernandez. The 25-year-old needs to play regularly at this stage of his career. And a move away from Barcelona seems ideal for him right now.
Tottenham could definitely use more quality in the central midfield and signing the Barcelona midfielder would be a wise move. He is unlikely to be expensive because of his situation at the Spanish club. But it remains to be seen whether Daniel Levy can negotiate a reasonable fee for the Ivorian midfielder.
Tottenham need to add more depth in the middle of the park, and the 25-year-old seems like an ideal fit in theory. The Barcelona midfielder has the physical attributes to succeed in English football and Antonio Conte could get the best out of him. So the interest in Kessie makes sense.
The player was rated highly during his time at AC Milan but has not been able to adapt to Barcelona’s style completely. It will be interesting to see if his suitors can convince the Blaugrana to sell him when the transfer window reopens in January. But recent reports have claimed that the Ivory Coast international does not want to leave Barcelona.
Tottenham are currently fighting for a place in the top four, and they could use a couple of quality reinforcements to boost their chances of Champions League qualification. The 25-year-old midfielder has the attributes to improve them, and he will also allow Conte to rotate his squad and keep the players fresh during the business end of the season.
