Franck Kessie closing in on joining Juventus
Barcelona and Serie A giants Juventus have an agreement in principle over a deal for 26-year-old Ivorian midfielder Franck Kessie.
According to a report by Il Tempo, as relayed by Tutto Mercato Web, Franck Kessie will likely join Juventus in the ongoing transfer window. Barcelona and Juventus have an agreement in principle over a deal for the 26-year-old. And only final details remain for the move to become official.
Franck Kessie made a name for himself in Italy, going from strength to strength during his stints with Atalanta and AC Milan. And his spell with AC Milan saw him become one of the best players in Serie A. Meanwhile, the Ivory Coast international was instrumental in helping the Rossoneri win the Serie A title in the 2021/22 season.
But Kessie’s stint with AC Milan ended last summer as he left the Serie A club as a free agent. And he completed a big move to Barcelona in a Bosman deal. But the move has not worked out much for the 26-year-old midfielder, even though he has turned out 43 times thus far for Barcelona. But amid their never-ending financial issues, the Catalan giants are ready to cash in on him.
However, Kessie’s agent has maintained for weeks that the former AC Milan talisman does not want to leave Barcelona anytime soon. However, with Barcelona in a desperate situation to offload players to balance the books, the Ivorian is expendable. And amid the emerging interest from Juventus, a return to Serie A is on the cards.
Recent reports have claimed that Kessie’s name features atop Juventus’s wishlist. And with Leandro Paredes returning to Paris Saint-Germain, a spot has opened up in the Juventus midfield. In addition, the Serie A giants are ready to part ways with Arthur Melo, Denis Zakaria, and Weston McKennie.
So it behoves Juventus to invest in a top-class midfielder. And recent reports suggested they were lining up talks with Barcelona for Kessie. The latest update reveals that the 26-year-old is closing in on joining Juventus. That is because the Serie A giants have an agreement in principle with Barcelona for him.
Personal terms might still be an issue, considering Kessie’s reluctance to leave Barcelona. But the report claims only final details remain before the transfer becomes official. And it will be interesting to see if the Ivory Coast international returns to Serie A by completing a controversial move to Juventus.
