Tottenham Hotspur receive transfer boost as AC Milan star Franck Kessie reaches standstill over new contract
According to Grand Hotel Calciomercato (h/t Express), Tottenham Hotspur have been given a transfer boost in their pursuit of AC Milan midfielder Franck Kessie after the player reached a standstill with the Serie A club over a new contract.
Spurs did not have a great time in the winter transfer window, only managing to bring in Dejan Kulusevski and Rodrigo Bentancur on deadline day. Their pursuit of other transfer targets in Adama Traore and Luis Diaz was unsuccessful.
With renewed hope for better success in the summer transfer window, Spurs may be interested to know that Kessie’s demands have proven to be a sticking point between club and player, drawing a cloud over the midfielder’s future at the club.
However, the club is expected to face competition from Manchester United in the summer for Kessie, with the Red Devils looking to bolster their midfield and address their issues in the middle of the park.
Salary demands
The AC Milan man has been a midfield mainstay for the club over the past few years, with his value skyrocketing due to his excellent performances on the pitch. The Serie A side has enjoyed a recent resurgence in stature, and the Ivory Coast national is a big reason for the same.
It is said that Milan have tabled an offer for £5m-a-year for his contract renewal, but the player is expecting a figure of £7.5m per annum for his performances for the team. This translates to around £150,000 per week.
The race for Kessie is heating up towards the end of the season, especially given that the midfielder is available for free in the summer. Into the final few months of his current deal with AC Milan, the player is now free to speak to foreign clubs over a pre-contract agreement.
The 25-year-old is highly rated all over Europe, and the player would make a fine addition to a Spurs side that needs some reinforcements in midfield. A staunch midfielder on the defensive side of things, Kessie isn’t a shabby presence on the ball as well, making him a suitable candidate to play in a two-man central midfield at N17.
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He is an experienced midfielder who brings high expectations with him, having displayed his ability in Italy and in Europe. An Ivory Coast international, Tottenham would certainly benefit from a seasoned player in the squad coming from a league that Antonio Conte and Fabio Paratici know very well.
Spurs will need to try harder in the summer to provide manager Antonio Conte with top-quality players, and Kessie certainly fits the bill. With his current demands putting off AC Milan from offering a new deal, signing the player for free will be a steal for us if we manage to pull it off.
