"In Africa there are people who walk 30 kilometers every morning for a piece of bread" - Barcelona new signing says he earns a lot of money to 'sweat on the field'
Barcelona’s new signing Franck Kessie has said that he earns substantial wages every week due to his ability to put in a lot of hard work on the pitch. According to Football Espana, he has likened his work ethic to that of Africans who have an untiring knack for walking long distances in search of daily food.
Barcelona completed the signing of Kessie on a free transfer after the midfielder chose to run out his contract at AC Milan. The Italian giants were rumored to be willing to offer a salary as high as €6.5 million per year. However, Kessie is understood to have held out for a deal worth around €9 million, as per the Forbes report.
The Blaugrana have signed the midfielder on a four-year contract and his release clause is said to be set around €500 million. The player's presentation is scheduled for Wednesday, July 6.
The Ivory Coast international is expected to add immediate quality to the Blaugrana's midfield and might be seen as Sergio Busquets’ eventual successor. Kessie is a hard-fighting midfielder who is perfectly capable of running up the ball and scoring the occasional goal.
🗣Franck Kessié: “No me asusta correr. Es algo natural para mí. Gano muchísimo dinero para no sudar en el campo. En África hay personas que caminan 30 kilómetros cada mañana por un trozo de pan”. #FCBarcelona https://t.co/2ASIXlE4cw
Fans will be happy with the 25-year old’s commitment, as the midfielder stated that he was not scared of running. He said:
“I’m not afraid of running. It's something natural for me. I earn a lot of money to sweat on the field. In Africa there are people who walk 30 kilometres every morning for a piece of bread.”
Joining Milan from Atalanta for €32 million after an impressive two-year loan spell, the African midfielder has made 223 appearances across competitions for the Rossoneri. He has scored 37 goals and given 15 assists, winning the Serie A title once in the recently concluded season.
Franck Kessie will add immediate quality and tenacity to Barcelona midfield
Currently in transition, Barcelona have gone from strength to strength under the leadership of Xavi Hernandez. Multiple senior players are expected to be replaced completely in the coming time, most notably the likes of Gerard Pique and Sergio Busquets. With Gavi and Pedri, Barcelona have an established platform to build their midfield upon and the two will be happy to play alongside Franck Kessie.
Kessie is known for his ability to run and cover ground in midfield and is comparable to N’Golo Kante at Chelsea. The midfielder also pops up regularly in attack, scoring seven goals in all competitions last season.
FC Barcelona has announced the signing of Frank Kessie on a contract until 30 June 2026
#PulseSports https://t.co/mlxwc0rNWD
The midfielder scored 14 goals and had four assists in the 2020-21 season across all competitions, only behind leading scorer Zlatan Ibrahimovic. His initial interview suggests that he will add a level of work ethic that is sure to make him a popular figure among Barcelona fans.