According to latest reports, Everton have joined the race for talented Atlanta midfielder Franck Kessie and will provide stiff competition to Chelsea, who have been long-time admirers of the Serie A talent.
Both the teams have reportedly initiated discussions with Atlanta for the player regarding a deal, although any kind of agreement is yet to be reached. The Italian side have apparently labelled a price tag of 30 million pounds on their star player and though both the teams won’t have much problem paying the amount, they aren’t willing to cough up more than 22 million pounds in his pursuit.
After the sale of John Obi Mikel and Oscar to Chinese clubs, the Blues are desperate to fill the gaps left by them. Everton meanwhile are looking to bolster their midfield after a very average display by the likes of Barry and Gueye in the first-half of the season.
Apart from them, Manchester United are also keeping tabs on the player, which indicates towards a fierce battle to get his signature as things heat up.
Since returning from a loan spell with Cesena last season, Kessie has emerged as a key first-team player for Atlanta. The powerful playmaker has dazzled in Serie A this campaign scoring six goals and chipping in with two assists. It was Massimo Drago, the manager of Cesena, who converted him into a central midfielder from a centre back with immediate results, and the player has developed into a brilliant product in the middle of the park.
At 183cm, Kessie has the perfect blend of delightful balance and upper body strength which allows him to hold off opponents with ease and he knows to use his body quite well. However, physical attributes are not his only assets as the 20-year-old is also known for his matured vision of the game and ability to make perfect runs into the attacking third. He is touted by many as ‘The Next Yaya Toure’.
Although his understanding of the game exceeds his young age, the player claims that he has to work on his tactical know-how and he chose the Serie A for that reason, which he thinks is tactically the best league in the world. And with a former Serie A manager like Antonio Conte willing to land him at Chelsea, Kessie could jolly well be lured sooner than later.
The midfielder has had quite a lot of international experience as well having represented Ivory Coast in the U-17 World Cup as the team’s captain. For the senior team, he has 4 caps till now. Kessie is currently away at AFCON representing his nation and a move is expected to be on the cards as soon as he returns.
