Franck Kessie, valued at €35 million, is reportedly open to leaving Barcelona amid interest from Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool.
According to a report by Spanish outlet AS, Franck Kessie is warming up to the idea of leaving Barcelona in the summer transfer window. The Blaugrana will demand €35 million to part ways with the Ivory Coast international. And the midfielder is a target for Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur.
Franck Kessie would have thought that he was set for a memorable stint at the topmost level when he joined Barcelona last summer. The 26-year-old burned a few bridges by leaving AC Milan as a free agent. And his decision has not been sensible as he has been a backup option at Spotify Camp Nou.
The Ivory Coast international was behind Sergio Busquets, Frenkie de Jong, Pedri, and Gavi in the season gone by. And Kessie’s best run came when the first-choice midfielders were either injured or needed some rest. So he managed less than 2,000 minutes of game time this term. And the player’s situation at FC Barcelona has captured the attention of Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur.
Liverpool will enter the market for multiple midfield reinforcements in the summer transfer window. The Reds have lost James Milner, Naby Keita, and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain as free agents. In addition, Fabinho and Jordan Henderson blew hot and cold this season. So it behoves Liverpool to invest in several midfielders ahead of the 2023/24 season.
Franck Kessie’s agent publicly describes as ‘fake news’ the info about his client giving the green light to leave Barça. ⛔️🔵🔴 #FCB
Player’s camp position has not changed as of today. pic.twitter.com/RQS9JO03UO
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 7, 2023
The Reds are on the verge of sealing the deal to sign Alexis Mac Allister. But they are not done yet, with Kessie and several other midfielders emerging on their radar. But Liverpool will face stiff competition from Tottenham for the Barcelona midfielder. Meanwhile, the Blaugrana will demand €35 million to part ways with the 26-year-old.
Speaking of Tottenham, the North London giants were dreadful in the 2022/23 season. And after failing to clinch European qualification, they will start with a clean slate, especially after appointing Ange Postecoglou as the new manager. And Kessie has emerged as a viable target for them, with recent reports claiming they are well-placed to land the Barcelona midfielder.
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Liverpool and Tottenham are in a healthy-enough position to afford Kessie’s signature. But it will be interesting to see if either club will look to seal the deal for less than €35 million. Meanwhile, Kessie’s agent has refuted the exit links this week, claiming the Ivorian does not want to leave Barcelona.