Not many people will bet against Chelsea winning the title this season. Yes, it is barely Christmas but that is how good they have been. The winning machine we had come to associate with Chelsea under Jose Mourinho is back but by the looks of it- it is bigger and better.
But it wouldn’t have gone unnoticed by the general football fan that Chelsea are currently relieved of the headache of multiple competitions to fret over. They go in, play a match, recuperate and go in for the next Premier League match. But this won’t be the case next season.
While they will surely strengthen in certain areas, the latest player they have seemingly been hounding is 19-year old Ivory Coast defensive midfielder Franck Kessie. Kessie is being touted as being the next Yaya Toure in some quarters.
The Atalanta midfielder has impressed immensely this year and has powered his club into a position from where they can launch an unlikely assault on the European places.
Related Reading: A Complete Scout Report On Franck Kessie
Chelsea are supposedly willing to offer a deal close to £18m for the Ivorian in January but it is said that they might let the player stay at his current club for the remainder of the season. With the clamour for his signature increasing every day, it might indeed be a smart move to tie him down with a pre-contract.
Chelsea have Kante and Matic as the regulars in midfield with Chalobah and Fabregas as the next options in the pecking order. Although, Fabregas has managed to impress and has seen increased game time in the last couple of matches.
Conte feels Kessie can put pressure on the first team players and fight for a starting role and that his age won’t be a factor if he is asked to make an impact in the first team. The midfielder has been in fine form for Atlanta this season scoring 6 goals and assisting 2 in 16 appearances across all competitions. His emergence and potential have contributed to the player being the centre of attention in Italy and elsewhere.
Kessie is the ideal candidate to bring strength and quality in depth for Conte as he has all the attributes to grow into a world beater with proper guidance and in a suitable environment.
His ability to run with the ball and intercept makes him the perfect backup to Matic and Kante. In addition, he is strong aerially and has the knack of running from the deep and scoring goals. This particular trait of his has led to comparisons made between the youngster and Manchester City legend, Yaya Toure.
And recent reports have crept in that Chelsea have edged ahead of the rest and significantly ahead of domestic rivals Liverpool and are in the driver’s seat to complete a deal.
