Manchester United‘s midfield has been their Achilles heel in recent seasons, but that could change with the potential arrival of Franck Kessie next summer.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Manchester United have stepped up their pursuit of the all-action AC Milan midfielder, whom they view as a potential replacement for the mercurial Paul Pogba.
Kessie has transformed into one of the finest central midfielders in Serie A over the past few seasons. The marauding Ivorian spent two seasons on loan with Milan before joining them on a permanent basis in 2019. He has made 191 appearances for the Italian club in all competitions, scoring 30 goals and assisting 15 times.
He was instrumental in their second-place finish last season, chipping in with 13 goals and six assists.
The 24-year-old’s contract expires next summer and he will be available for free if he does not sign a new deal.
Franck Kessie to Manchester United – The missing piece of the jigsaw?
Manchester United focussed on strengthening their attack and defence this summer with the arrivals of Cristiano Ronaldo, Jadon Sancho and Raphael Varane. However, their midfield remains an area of concern.
The likes of Fred, Scott McTominay and Nemanja Matic are simply not good enough for Manchester United to challenge teams like Liverpool and Manchester City at the moment. Moreover, with Paul Pogba looking increasingly likely to depart at the end of the season, United need reinforcements in the centre of the park and they don’t come much better than Kessie.
The Ivorian’s ability going forward as well as shielding the backline will come in handy for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Kessie likes to drop deep, win possession and then drive his team forward with crisp passes. His physical strength and athleticism allow him to shield the ball from opponents and makes him a hard player to press.
The Ivorian averaged 2.8 long balls and 0.8 key passes per game in the league last season. He had a pass completion rate of over 88%, while also taking 1.3 shots on goal per game.
He is an extremely hard-working player and his numbers in the defensive third are just as impressive. Kessie registered 1.4 tackles and 1.2 interceptions per game last season and also won 1.5 aerial duels.
The Ivorian would add energy, strength, and goals to the United midfield and would be a great addition to the team in the long run.