Tottenham Hotspur have been linked with a move for AC Milan midfielder Franck Kessie as the Serie A side look to balance their books in accordance with the Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations.
According to a report from the Daily Express, the Italian club have slapped a price tag of £30 million on the Ivory Coast midfielder who has attracted interest from Spurs, Arsenal, and West Ham United.
The 22-year-old is on a two-year loan at AC Milan, who having an obligation to buy him for around £24 million from Atlanta.
Kessie managed 7 goals and 3 assists in 34 appearances in the Italian top flight as the Rossoneri finished 5th in the Serie A table last season.
Franck Kessie would be a good option for Pochettino
Kessie is a versatile player who usually features as a central-midfielder, and can also slot in the defensive midfield role if the need arises. He usually plays as a box to box midfielder, contributing heavily in both defensive and attacking phases of the game.
The 22-year old’s passing is pretty solid, and his style is pretty similar to that of former France international Patrick Vieira. Kessie managed an average pass percentage of 87.3 last season.
Kessie’s technical and physical capability makes him an all-round package, and his height helps him neutralise aerial threats as well.
The Milan midfielder’s anticipation and spatial awareness help him cut out threats in his own half. The 22-year-old managed an average of 1.2 tackles, and 1.4 clearances per game last season.
The Ivory Coast star also managed good numbers while going forward, finishing the season with 1.5 shots, 1.2 key passes and 1.3 dribbles per 90 minutes, which highlight his ability to break forward and trouble opposition defences.
Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino, who usually deploys a 4-2-3-1 formation with a double pivot in the centre of the pitch, could exploit the Ivorian’s potential. Seeing the Argentine manager’s history of developing young players, Kessie could turn out to be a future star if he signs for Tottenham.
Kessie’s price tag of £30 million also seems reasonable seeing he is only 22 years of age. All in all, this sounds like a deal worth doing for the Lilywhites who are likely to lose their star midfielder, Christian Eriksen this summer.
Stat Courtesy: Whoscored, Transfermarkt