Xavi sees tactical issues in £17.5m Barcelona star who rejected Tottenham

Follow us on Google Discover

Barcelona boss Xavi is now regularly discussing tactical issues with Franck Kessie in a bid to help him adapt. He joined last July and rejected a January transfer to Tottenham Hotspur.

That is according to Sport, which reports Xavi and Kessie are in regular contact over the 26-year-old’s issues settling in. The Ivorian has failed to establish his presence at Camp Nou so far this season. But at no point in the winter market did he ever consider leaving the team.

Kessie is determined to overcome his inability to adapt to Barcelona’s style. Xavi also never forced the 60-cap engine to leave the La Liga giants as he attempts to raise the midfielder’s level. The main topic of their regular discussions is only to try and overcome his problems.

Xavi accepts that Kessie still has tactical issues blending with how Barcelona play following his transfer last year. The Blaugrana signed the midfielder in a Bosman deal after his terms at AC Milan expired. He penned a five-year contract with a €500m (£443m) release clause.

But Kessie’s issues are not, yet, enough to see Xavi throw in the towel. He accepted before getting the Ivorian to join that it was not going to be easy for him to adapt. So, Camp Nou chiefs are letting the Ouragahio-born ace settle in having been clear with his desire to stay.

Franck Kessie rejected a transfer from Barcelona to Tottenham in January

Tottenham sensed a chance to sign Kessie in the January transfer window given his issues at Barcelona. But TuttoMercatoWEB reported the midfielder turned down their advances following talks with the Premier League club. The Blaugrana would have granted a move.

Prior reports by Sport noted that Barcelona put a €20m (£17.5m) asking price on Kessie in January. It also noted that Aston Villa offered to pay €14m (£12.5m) and Fulham bid up to €22m (£19.5m) after add-ons. Yet Kessie, who Craig Burley calls ‘terrific’, wanted to stay.

Now, Xavi will hope he can iron out all of the tactical issues that he sees in Kessie’s game so that Barcelona do not regret not forcing him to accept a transfer to Aston Villa, Fulham or Tottenham in January. He has only started in two of his 12 La Liga appearances after all.