Tottenham closing in on January deal for powerful AC Milan midfielder

Tottenham are reportedly eyeing a January move for AC Milan’s Franck Kessie. Here is an analysis of the midfield powerhouse.

Franck Kessie is a name that has been linked with Tottenham for a couple of years now, and, according to Il Messaggero (via HITC), the Londoners are keen to push a deal through this January.

Kessie is viewed as an ideal replacement for Mousa Dembele. While the 22-year-old possesses some similar traits to the Belgian enigma, his skillset is more comparable to that of N’golo Kante.

Chelsea’s turbo charged midfielder’s USP is undoubtedly his engine. Kante clocks up Forest Gump-esque mileage every game and AC Milan’s box-to-box midfielder is another player brimming with athleticism. The Ivorian played at center back up until a couple of seasons ago, when his superior levels of stamina earned him a move further up the field.

Spending his formative years at the back allowed Kessie to hone his defensive qualities. He has excellent perception skills and is a natural ball winner; and although his stats don’t compare to those of Kante’s, they could potentially sky-rocket under Mauricio Pochettino in the maelstrom of the Premier League.

What makes Kante a truly special player is that his defensive abilities are coupled with genuine quality on the ball. Similar sentiments could be held for Kessie. He is rarely perturbed in possession and his passing is improving every season.

This campaign the midfielder boasts a pass completion rate of 88.7% and has made 1.8 key passes per game. The fact he hits Milan’s penalties is further testament to his poise and technique.

One area he is clearly more similar to Dembele than Kante is physicality. It is almost impossible to knock the powerhouse off the ball and you could mistake him for Moussa Sissoko when he beelines towards an opponent’s goal.

The Ivorian also has a penchant for hitting the back of the net and has notched three goals in Serie A this season (two from open play).

Will Tottenham sign Kessie?

Like any deal involving Tottenham, this one is rather complicated – and not just because of Daniel Levy’s frugality. Kessie is on a two-year loan deal from Atalanta which automatically turns permanent at the end of the season.

But, according to Tuttomercado, Kessie has become disillusioned with life at the San Siro and is ready to leave Milan this summer if it fails to qualify for the Champions League. The Rossoneri currently sits in fifth place and missing out on the top four would be a huge financial blow as it seeks to balance its books by 2021.

Tottenham fans were deprived of any shiny new toys during the summer and would love a mid-season arrival as they continue to fight on four fronts. With strong interest from Chelsea and Paris Saint Germain, Levy may try to push this one through now to avoid a summer bidding war.

Kessie may be a rough diamond, but blessed with such natural athleticism and all-round repertoire, he has the potential to become a shimmering jewel. It seems far from fanciful to suggest Pochettino could transform him into one of the world’s best defensive midfielders by the time he hits his peak.