Tottenham willing to pay €30m to sign Barcelona star in the summer - Reports
As per Fichajes, Tottenham Hotspur are willing to table an offer of €30 million to sign Barcelona star Franck Kessie in the summer.
The Ivory Coast international arrived in Catalonia last summer on a free transfer from AC Milan. However, he has failed to make himself a regular feature in manager Xavi Hernandez's first-team plans and has started just four league games this season.
Spurs are willing to open discussions with Barcelona about signing Kessie in the upcoming transfer window. This would present the Catalan giants with an opportunity to profit from a player who cost them nothing in transfer fees last year.
It could, however, come at the cost of weakening their midfield. Sergio Busquets hasn't renewed his contract and could leave Spotify Camp Nou as a free agent at the end of the season.
📸 Kessie https://t.co/rWiHEsBFhd
Gavi, Pedri, Busquets, and Frenkie de Jong are evidently ahead of Kessie in the pecking order. But the 26-year-old provides Barcelona with depth on the bench.
He has, after all, played 28 games across competitions this term, albeit 17 of those appearances coming from the bench. Tottenham, meanwhile, have some sorting out in midfield to do this summer.
Tanguy Ndombele, Giovani Lo Celso, and Harry Winks look set to return to Spurs from their respective loan spells this summer. It would be wise for the Lilywhites to first consider sorting out the trio's future before splashing money on a new midfielder.
Ndombele's year-long contract with SSC Napoli contains a buy option for a fee of €30 million (h/t ESPN). If activated, it could directly fund Tottenham's potential bid for Kessie.
However, the French midfielder hasn't seen a lot of playing time under manager Luciano Spalletti. He has played in 22 Serie A games this season, but that has amounted to just 556 minutes of action.
Former Barcelona star praised after Tottenham's win against Chelsea
Emerson Royal has had his fair share of ups and downs since leaving Barcelona for Tottenham Hotspur in the summer of 2021.
🤍
Emerson Royal’s game by numbers vs. Chelsea:
80% pass accuracy
74 touches
10 ground duels won
7 tackles won
4 clearances
3 aerial duels won
2/2 dribbles completed
1 yellow card
1 key pass
Outstanding again.🇧🇷🤍 https://t.co/kleYR59MYu
He has, however, managed to maintain his status as Spurs' first-choice full-back, making 29 appearances across competitions this season. The Lilywhites signed Pedro Porro for a fee of €45 million from Sporting CP in January.
Despite that, Emerson started in four of his team's five matches in February. Speaking after Tottenham's 2-0 win against Chelsea on 26 February, former Spurs defender Stephen Kelly told Stadium Astro (h/t TheBootRoom):
"Emerson Royal is the one that stands out the most. His performance today both defensively and offensively was superb. He was up there for man of the match. Another player who just seems reborn. Maybe it’s the added pressure of having someone like Porro coming in."