In a recent report from Football.London, it was mentioned that Barcelona midfielder Franck Kessie is unhappy at the Catalan club with a lack of first-team football. The Ivory Coast international left AC Milan to join Barca on a free transfer last summer but it has been mostly unsuccessful for him looking at his situation in Camp Nou.
Kessie’s Disappointing Campaign At Barcelona
The Ivorian midfielder has had a disappointing start to this campaign as he has mostly come off the bench to provide cover in the central areas until he succumbed to muscular problems that kept him sidelined for several weeks. He has only found the back of the net on one occasion making 13 appearances for the Spanish giants.
The Ouragahio-born sensation has not had enough play time to influence the game which explains why he is averaging 0.9 shots, 0.3 key passes and 0.4 tackles per game in La Liga. However, he has been exceptional with his ball distribution after completing 88.5% of his attempted passes in the Spanish top flight (stats via whoscored).
Should Xavi Sanction His Exit In January?
Kessie remains adept at holding on to the ball and can proficiently distribute the ball to his teammates. He mainly operates in the defensive half to transition the ball into the final third and does well to shield the backline. Furthermore, he can make some crucial interceptions and time his tackles well to secure possession for his side.
The 25-year-old has the attributes to play at a high level for several years in the foreseeable future but hasn’t been given enough chances to prove himself under Xavi. His best years are still ahead of him and he could definitely do better elsewhere if given enough playtime.
Kessie’s contract at Camp Nou expires in 2026 and Barca had done well to include a buy-out clause into the contract that lies in the region of a whopping £430 million which will virtually keep the European clubs away from him in the transfer market.
However, if Xavi does not have plans for him in the near future it would be better to sell him at a fair price in the January transfer window as it would benefit both the parties involved. The Catalan club are still facing financial troubles while Xavi wishes to add more depth to the squad, so selling Kessie could at least bring more funds into their budget as they explore the transfer market.
