A Champions League final heartbreak against Liverpool does not take away the tremendous effort put by the Tottenham Hotspur stars in recent years since Mauricio Pochettino’s arrival in North London. They have earned a place among the European elites and emerged as an admirable Premier League force capable of claiming silverware.
Although the Lilywhites refrained from signing players over the past couple of windows, the scenario might alter drastically within the next couple of months. They moved to their brand new stadium towards the end of the previous campaign and are now likely to welcome a few new names to bolster the squad furthermore.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport (as cited by Football Italia), A.C. Milan are open to the idea of entertaining offers for midfielder Franck Kessie whom they are obliged to buy this summer following a two-year loan stint from Atalanta. The Rossoneri are expecting bids above €30m as the money would help them maintain the Financial Fair Play rules after missing out on a Champions League berth to rivals Inter Milan by a point.
There have been reports (Tuttomercatoweb) of Tottenham’s interest in the Ivorian back in February, and his availability might see both the North London rivals locking horns to secure his services. Arsenal, too, shortlisted the 22-year-old as a potential summer signing (according to the Sun) but must fend off interest from Spurs who are in a better position to lure him in having claimed a place in next season’s Champions League football.
Kessie has appeared 42 times for Il Diavolo across all competitions and found the net seven times during the 2018-19 campaign. He regularly featured in ex-boss Gennaro Gattuso’s midfield set-up and impressed with his creativity as well as ability to build the game up from the deep.
The youngster is hailed for his stamina and strong physique, which would help him adjust to the grind and demand of the English calendar. He is dominant on the ball; therefore, tough to be tackled or dispossessed. Kessie also has excellent pace and is rated highly for his directness.
Spurs, meanwhile, are yet to replace the expertise of Mousa Dembele in the middle of the park and eyeing to strengthen the core of the team with high-profile inclusions. They have been linked to a mega-money move for Lyon’s Tanguy Ndombele (as per the Sun) as well as Real Betis’ ace Giovani Lo Celso (Football.London). However, the signing of Kessie would see them saving a lot of money due to his availability for a minuscule fee, keeping in mind the sudden inflation of the transfer market.
