Antonio Cassano believes Franck Kessie is AC Milan’s answer to Yaya Toure amid a superb season from the reported Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur target, speaking to Calciomercato.
It is five years since Kessie exploded on to the scene with a glut of goals in the blue-and-black stripes of Atalanta, earning immediate comparisons with a certain Ivorian superstar.
Flash forward to March 2021 and the 24-year-old is blossoming into the driving force at the heart of a fresh-faced Milan side that has confounded critics by launching itself into the heart of a thrilling Serie A title race.
If Kessie felt under pressure to live up to those Yaya Toure comparisons, he hasn’t shown it.
In 36 games, Kessie has scored a career-best ten goals from central midfield in 2020/21, taking over penalty duties from none other than Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
And, according to former Real Madrid, Inter and Italy forward Cassano, Kessie’s combination of power, strength, vision, skill and ice-cool finishing make him the ideal teammate in the modern game.
“I want Kessie in my team. He scores, he assists, he has personality, he has quality, he doesn’t lose the ball, he’s intelligent,” Cassano explains.
“I’m watching him carefully. Against Roma (in the weekend’s 2-1 victory) he was devastating. He reminds me of Yaya Toure on his best day.
“He is a different player but, in terms of impact, he is holding Milan’s midfield together alone.”
According to Calciomercato, Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal and Jose Mourinho’s Spurs are keen to see Kessie follow in Toure’s footsteps with a move to the Premier League.
Milan value their powerhouse midfield talisman at about £45 million – although that fee would surely fall if contract talks continue to stall.
Kessie is due to become a free agent in summer 2022.
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