FC Barcelona have reportedly emerged as the favourites to sign AC Milan midfielder and reported Tottenham target Franck Kessie.
According to Mundo Deportivo, the Catalan giants are ‘strong favourites’ to sign the Ivory Coast international in the summer. Kessie’s contract is set to expire at the end of this season, and now Barcelona look to be the frontrunners for the midfielder.
As reported by CalcioMercato, Spurs have been chasing Kessie for some time, with the same publication claiming that Antonio Conte is desperate for the club to sign the midfielder this month.
Midfield is a problem area for Tottenham, and Kessie would have been a perfect player to fit the mould of what both Conte and Fabio Paratici both want going forward, which is what makes Barcelona’s interest a huge blow for Spurs.
The La Liga side sit sixth in the standings in what has been a poor and unusual season for Barcelona, yet signing Kessie for next season could be a good step in the right direction for Xavi Hernandez.
Indeed, Barcelona, even in their ragged state, have a much stronger pulling power than Spurs for Kessie. And the north London side could now miss out on the midfielder with the Catalan club eager to sign the Ivorian in the summer.
Tottenham should give up on Kessie pursuit with Barcelona eyeing move
Tottenham could qualify for the UEFA Champions League this season if Conte manages to bring in some added quality this January. However, even this might not be enough to lure Kessie to north London with Barcelona now in the race.
After all, even despite their problems, Barcelona are a club that are eager to get back to the top of world football, and Kessie could play a key role in this rebuild if given the chance to thrive in Xavi’s midfield alongside the likes of Gavi and Pedri.
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