Transfer News: Aston Villa have entered the race to sign Tottenham Hotspur target Franck Kessie
According to Calciomercato (h/t Football.London), Aston Villa are believed to have joined Tottenham Hotspur in the race to sign AC Milan midfielder Franck Kessie. It is believed that the Villains have made a ‘very interesting’ offer to secure the services of the Ivory Coast international.
The 25-year-old has been a revelation in Serie A becoming an instrumental part of the midfield for the Rossoneri. Kessie has played 211 matches across all competitions for the Serie A club to date and has scored 36 goals and provided 16 assists during that period.
The Ivorian provides a solid option in the middle of the park and is a great asset when it comes to thwarting opposition attacks. His ball-carrying skills and technical abilities also help open up spaces for more attacking players. The former Atalanta BC player’s current contract with AC Milan expires in June of 2022.
His exploits have certainly attracted a lot of eyeballs and a list of suitors is already lining up. North London rival Arsenal have also been linked with the midfielder, whereas it is believed that Kessie could be more inclined towards joining Barcelona who are also firm admirers.
A midfield that could use some fresh legs?
This transfer window saw more outgoings than incoming as with Dele Alli leaving on a permanent transfer and Giovani Lo Celso, Tanguy Ndombele, and Bryan Gil being sent out on loan spells.
The lack of depth in the squad has come to the fore in recent times and the most recent exit from the FA Cup at the hands of Middlesborough is a testimony of that. The Lilywhites also faced a shock early exit from the UEFA Conference League and are struggling to maintain their consistency in the Premier League at the moment.
This shows us that there is still a lot of work to be done at Hotspur Way if Spurs want to be competing amongst the elite on a regular basis. Adding an exciting midfielder like Kessie in their ranks could be a great way to show some positive intent going forward.
That being said, the club did recently purchase the midfield duo of Dejan Kulusevski and Rodrigo Bentancur to help out in the middle of the pitch. Whilst the latter plays a similar role to Ivorian professional footballer, another addition could help boost healthy competitions amongst the players and also pivot the club into a new era.
At 25, it would seem that Kessie still has some of his best footballing years ahead of him and could be a great long-term asset to the club. The lure of working under a world-class manager like Antonio Conte could also be a big bonus for us.
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- Antonio Conte details the two areas where Tottenham Hotspur need improvements
With all that in mind, the pursuit for the 25-year-old midfielder certainly won’t be an easy one considering the interest that he is attracting. Fabio Paratici would have to literally pull a rabbit out of the hat if he is to lure Kessie to Tottenham Hotspur but only time can tell whether or not this dream turns into reality.
