Arsenal, Chelsea and Man United on alert after Kessie comments
Published:
He’s been touted as the next Yaya Toure, and Atalanta’s star man Franck Kessie could be set to follow the Manchester City ace to the Premier League.
The 20-year-old Ivory Coast midfielder has shone in Serie A this season, scoring six times in addition to three assists to help Atalanta to a lofty sixth position.
But the Bergamo outfit face a huge fight to keep hold of their prized asset this summer, and a slew of Premier League clubs are keen.
Chief among them are Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United, and the trio will be delighted by the latest reports.
According to Italian outlet Tuttosport, Kessie is willing to turn down advances from Juventus, Napoli and Roma in order to join a Premier League club.
Kessie is valued at just over £10m by transfermarkt.co.uk, and with a contract running until 2021, any potential buyer will need to hand over around £25m.
Throw in a bidding war and Atalanta could well end up for selling for £30m-35m.
Kessie began his career in his homeland with Stella Club, before joining Atalanta in 2015.
The midfielder was then loaned out to Cesena, where he gained valuable experience in Serie B, making 36 appearances.
The temporary move clearly worked, as Kessie has become a mainstay for Atalanta this season.
But demand is high for the midfield ace, and all three aforementioned Premier League clubs are reportedly keen.
Jose Mourinho is looking for a midfield presence to succeed Michael Carrick, while Antonio Conte wants strength in depth to launch a Champions League assault.
And the big-money signing of Granit Xhaka has done little to enhance Arsenal’s fortunes, so expect the Gunners to return to the transfer market as they look to add top-level quality to their midfield this summer.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing
