According to latest reports, Serie A midfielder Franck Kessie has expressed his desire to play in the Premier League and it has put his prime suitors on high alert as the summer transfer window approaches.
Among his long-term admirers are Manchester United, who are facing a grave crisis in their midfield as two of their most experienced midfielders, Michael Carrick and Bastian Schweinsteiger, won’t be remaining at Old Trafford beyond this season with the German having already left for the MLS. And manager Jose Mourinho is expected to leave no leave stone unturned to beef up his squad as he aims to come back stronger next season.
The 20-year-old Ivory Coast international has been one of the hottest summer prospects in the whole of European football and his willingness to play in England actually exclude some of the biggest names like Juventus, AS Roma, Napoli, Barcelona and many more who probably wanted to land him, out of the equation.
In the Premier League, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal have also kept tabs on the player for long now and there are even reports that the two heavyweights- Manchester United and Chelsea- are expected to go on a bidding war for the Atalanta midfielder, as both are willing to pay in the higher end of £30m.
A central midfielder by nature, Kessie is comfortable both in offence as well as defence. In his 20 Serie A appearances for Atalanta, he has managed six goals and two assists. At 183cm, Kessie’s physique makes him quite an ideal option for the Premier League style of play.
Kessie is popular for his sublime dribbling skills and ability to bring out the ball from a congested midfield. His likes to play long passes on the counter, which hints at his brilliant passing from the deep midfield. Kessie has completed 829 passes so far with an accuracy of 84%, of which 70% were forward passes. Apart from this, he uses his height quite effectively that makes him lethal from set pieces.
His big frame and attacking attributes have led many to draw a parallel between him and compatriot Yaya Toure, and given his young age, he could easily go some steps further in his game. However, his immaturity leads to some reckless tackles, which would be something Mourinho has to be careful of.
Manchester United might just have a chance of finishing the season in the top four after spending more than half of it in the sixth position. League leaders Chelsea will, however, have an upper hand in Kessie’s pursuit if they are willing to land him.
