Barcelona star will not travel with club for pre-season amid interest from Chelsea and Saudi clubs - Reports
Barcelona midfielder Franck Kessie is attracting interest from Chelsea and will not be a part of the Blaugrana's tour to the United States, according to Spanish daily La Vanguardia.
Kessie, 26, joined the La Liga giants from Serie A club AC Milan on a free transfer last summer. However, the transfer hasn't gone to plan for the midfielder as he has found playing time hard to come by at the Camp Nou. He was notably restricted to just seven league starts for Xavi's side last term.
The Cote d'Ivoire international, whose contract runs until 2026, is said to be frustrated with his situation at Barcelona. He's aware that he will fall further down the pecking order next season, with the Blaugrana signing Ilkay Gundogan on a free transfer from Manchester City.
There are thus doubts about Kessie's future in Catalonia. According to the aforementioned source, the midfielder has received an offer worth €14 million a year from a club in Saudi Arabia. The suitors in question are also prepared to pay the La Liga winners €20 million in transfer fees.
Kessie, though, is keen to continue playing at the highest level of European football. The Premier League has been mooted as a potential location for the Ivorian, with Chelsea among the clubs interested in him, as per the said report.
The Blues are in the market for midfielder reinforcements this summer after seeing Mason Mount, Mateo Kovacic, N'Golo Kante, Kai Havertz and Ruben Loftus-Cheek leave. While Brighton & Hove Albion's Moises Caicedo is said to be their top target, signing Kessie would also make sense for them considering the number of departures in the position.
Kessie, meanwhile, will not be involved in Barcelona's pre-season tour of the United States amidst uncertainty about his future if the report is to be believed.
Barcelona priced out of move for Chelsea target Romeo Lavia
Barcelona are on the hunt for a new defensive midfielder following Sergio Busquets's departure. According to Florian Plettenberg of Sky Deutschland, the La Liga giants initially mulled over a move for Southampton's Romeo Lavia. However, the Saints' €59 million valuation of the player has reportedly put them off.
It's worth noting that Xavi's side are working on a tight budget this summer. They have thus turned their attention towards cheaper alternatives. Girona midfielder Oriol Romeu, who notably began his career at the Camp Nou, is reportedly edging closer to re-joining the Catalonian outfit.
Lavia, meanwhile, remains a player of interest to several other clubs. Chelsea are among the teams credited with an interest in the Belgium international. However, the Blues face competition from Premier League rivals Liverpool and Chelsea.