Barcelona ahead of Real Madrid in race for 25-year old midfielder: Reports

Barcelona have the upper hand in negotiations with AC Milan midfielder

The gap between Real Madrid and Barcelona has hardly been as significant in recent memory as it has been this season. The Spanish giants were two of the most formidable sides in Europe but the threat they possessed has been declining. Both sides are undergoing their own separate transition periods and are not at their lethal best.

Certainly in the case of Barcelona, it feels like this process is bumpier than it is with Real Madrid who aren't struggling in the same manner financially. Xavi Hernandez has been handed over the command to fix the team culture at the club, build a younger and more exciting team.

Real Madrid have a midfield that is best described as an "old guard" these days and the club are trying their best to carry out this transition seamlessly. A few names have been thrown into the mix that both these La Liga giants are monitoring.

According to Catalunya Radio, Barcelona are leading the race and could beat their biggest rivals to the signature of AC Milan midfielder Frank Kessie. The player has been in huge demand all around Europe and has been linked with various Premier League sides as well.

The midfielder has already made his intentions clear and is ready to leave Milan. Sport Italia have also been sharing information on the same and believe that the Ivory Coast international has already agreed a verbal agreement with Barcelona.

🇪🇸 FC Barcelona are in advanced negotiations with 🇨🇮 Franck Kessié over a possible move this summer, confirmed. ✍️

Kessié (25) contract with 🇮🇹 AC Milan will end in June, 2022.

Kessie’s move to 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Tottenham has been ruled out. 🚨

#Barce #Kessie #Transfers https://t.co/ZxpdSHJDLC

The Spanish giants are said to be discussing a five-year contract with wages in the region of €8 million per year. Kessie will be a free agent in the summer of 2022 and that makes him a more reasonable target for Xavi .

If that is true and Real Madrid are actively looking forward to his signing then they'll be really annoyed having been beaten to it by the Catalans.

Whether Kessie joins Barcelona or Real Madrid, he is sure to be a quality addition

The Rossoneri midfielder is sure to improve whichever side he moves to. On the physical side of things, he is robust but also technically gifted. He will bring great power to the engine room and his ability to drive forward with the ball will give them an attacking edge.

Kessie is a penalty expert and will offer goals from open play in midfield as well. His reading of the game has always been on-point and is quite effective in breaking opposition attacks.

Franck Kessie’s defensive stats per 90 in the 21/22 Serie A [AC Milan season rank]:

* successful pressures - 5.45 [🥇]
* interceptions - 1.74 [🥇]
* tackles won - 1.29 [🥈]
* times dribbled past - 0.45 [=🥇]

At his ball-winning best this term. 👊 🇨🇮 https://t.co/9hMMWzZtgC

As mentioned earlier, Los Blancos regularly feature an old guard in the midfield. Luka Modric and Toni Kroos have been exceptional and will continue to do so, but age is catching up and the club do not want it to be too late before they get replacements.

The Catalans, on the other hand, have a supremely experienced customer in Sergio Busquets but he has been overrun and outmuscled in the midfield lately. They have some exceptional talent in the likes of Gavi and Pedri, but they need someone who has experience and is also going to give them his best years.

Real Madrid already have the likes of Federico Valverde, Eduardo Camavinga and Dani Ceballos on the bench for them. Maybe Frank Kessie feels he has a better chance of regularly starting games in the Barcelona side and hence has been actively talking to them.