Barcelona’s work with regards to transfers and loan deals has heavily intensified since the election of Joan Laporta as club president. According to journalist Gianluca Di Marzio, the club is already working on their summer incorporations, with Franck Kessié high up on the list.
Franck Kessié is a name that has been linked to FC Barcelona for a while now, and according to Gianluca Di Marzio, the Catalan side is the one closest to securing the 25-year-old Ivorian midfielder’s signature, with talks having intensified in recent times.
In fact, according to the Italian journalist’s report, Barcelona have tagged a contract worth 6.5 million euros a year onto the offer they have sent to the player and his entourage, with his current club AC Milan also aware of this offer.
Barcelona are now, according to Di Marzio, awaiting the final response from Franck Kessié and his representatives, with his contract running out in the summer. Having not renewed with the Italian outfit, he is free to negotiate with any club until the summer transfer window, and will join his new club on a free transfer.
An Ivorian player, a Serie A veteran
Kessié has played in Italy for most of his professional career, having started in local club Stella Club from Abidjan, before finally getting a foothold in Italy.
He initially moved from Stella Club to Atalanta’s sub-19 side on loan in 2015, but was then bought by Atalanta the following season.
From there, he went on loan to Italian side Cesena and returned to Atalanta in 2016. He spent a year there before getting loaned out to AC Milan in 2017.
In 2019, he returned from his two-year loan spell in Milan only to join the Milanese outfit for a sum of 24 million euros back in July of 2019.
From 2019 onwards, he has been a starter for the Rossoneri, but in the summer, that chapter of his career will be over and he will seek pastures new.
