In a recent report, Catalunya Ràdio stated that Barcelona are in advanced talks to land AC Milan midfielder Franck Kessie. It is understood that the Catalan giants want to recruit the Ivory Coast talent when he becomes a free agent at the end of this campaign.
Kessie’s Growing Influence At San Siro
Kessie has enjoyed a decent run of form for the Milan outfit during this campaign as he has been responsible for performing at a high level for them at the centre of the park. The Ouragahio-born sensation has found the back of the net on five occasions and secured one assist in 21 matches for the Italian club this season across all competitions.
The 25-year-old has given a good account of himself by averaging 1.3 tackles, 0.8 interceptions, 1.0 clearances, 1.1 shots, 1.1 key passes and 0.9 dribbles per 90 minutes in Serie A. He has even been accurate when distributing the ball from midfield after completing 90.2% of his attempted passes in the Italian first division (stats via whoscored).
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What Will Kessie Add To Barcelona Boss Xavi’s Team?
Kessie is a tough-tackling midfielder who is often quick to spot the danger at the centre of the park. He can time his challenges well and can make some crucial interceptions for his side. The Ivory Coast international doesn’t take too many risks when putting his foot through the ball and can offer decent protection for his teammates at the back.
Kessie is also a tidy passer of the ball and can set up some meaningful chances for others around him. He can even contribute by scoring the odd goal from time to time.
A complete midfielder of Kessie’s skillset will be an excellent signing for the Catalans as he ticks all the right boxes in terms of what Xavi needs in his first team. The AC Milan star is good enough to serve as an ideal successor to Sergio Busquets at the Nou Camp. More importantly, Kessie will add a lot of quality to Barca’s midfield department and could help Xavi’s men challenge for some major trophies in the coming seasons.
