Who is Franck Kessie? Milan midfield bull wanted by Arsenal, Spurs & Man Utd

Carlo Garganese

Updated: 17 Nov 2021 16:16 CST
4 min read

Franck Kessie, AC Milan, 2021-22 — © ProShots

Franck Kessie has emerged as one of the most sought-after central midfielders in all of Europe.

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Virtually every major club in Europe has been keeping an eye on the AC Milan central midfielder, whose contract expires at the end of the 2021-22 season.

So what do we know about the Ivory Coast star?

What position does Franck Kessie play in?

Kessie plays as a central midfielder. He has spent much of his career in a double-pivot in a two-man central midfield, such as the 4-2-3-1 he currently plays in under Stefano Pioli at Milan.

He is, however, capable of playing in a three-man central midfield and in a more advanced midfield role.

How good is Franck Kessie?

Kessie burst onto the scene as a 19-year-old at Atalanta in the 2016-17 season.

He had initially been signed by the Italian side two years earlier from his homeland, first playing in their Primavera youth side before spending a successful loan at Serie B team Cesena.

The Ivorian had a fantastic season in Serie A, scoring seven goals in 31 appearances in all competitions, immediately earning a big-money move to AC Milan for an eventual €28 million.

Despite his talent, Kessie’s first few seasons at Milan were up and down for a struggling and under-performing Rossoneri team.

However, following the arrival of manager Pioli, he finally exploded in the 2020-21 season. He was a key player in a Milan team that led the Serie A championship for the first half of the campaign before running out of steam and eventually finishing second.

Kessie scored 13 Serie A goals and produced four assists. This made him the highest-scoring midfielder in the league.

© ProShots - Franck Kessie enjoyed a brilliant 2020-21 season

He proved himself to be the complete midfielder, equally brilliant offensively, defensively and in all areas of the game.

Standing at 6ft tall, Kessie is built like a bull and boasts incredible upper body strength – impossible to shrug off the ball.

He is strong in the tackle but also very calm and composed on the ball. Sometimes he can be too casual, though, as the penalty he conceded in the Milan derby in October 2021 shows.

But as his scoring numbers show – he is closing in on 50 career goals – he is very enterprising going forward. He makes late runs into the box, is a skilled dribbler and covers plenty of ground.

At the age of 24, he is already very experienced with over 250 club games and more than 50 appearances for the Ivory Coast national team

One of his standout games for Milan was in a Europa League clash at Old Trafford against Man Utd in 2021 when he dominated the midfield in a 1-1 draw.

However, he started the 2021-22 season in indifferent form, with many believing that his uncertain contract situation playing a role in him failing to maintain his performances from the previous campaign.

Which clubs are interested in Franck Kessie?

Virtually every major team in Europe either want to sign Kessie or are at the very least interested in him.

Man Utd, Liverpool, Arsenal and Tottenham are all admirers from the Premier League, as are PSG and Real Madrid.

© ProShots - Antonio Conte is a big fan of Franck Kessie

Tottenham are considered to be the favourites to sign Kessie in 2022, perhaps as early as January if Milan decide to cash in on him then rather than risk losing him on a free six months later.

New Spurs coach Antonio Conte is a huge admirer of Kessie and previously tried to sign him for Inter. PSG sporting director Leonardo is also a big fan.

When does Franck Kessie’s contract expire?

Kessie’s contract with Milan expires at the end of the 2021-22 season.

Contract talks between Kessie and Milan have virtually collapsed. The midfielder has demanded a salary of €9m a year in order to sign a new deal, but Milan are not prepared or able to go above €6.5m.

It is thus highly likely that Kessie will leave either in June on a Bosman, or for a small fee in January.