ARSENAL and Tottenham are reportedly set to battle it out for AC Milan midfielder Franck Kessie who could set them back £45million.
Calciomercato reports the North London rivals are both interested in the Ivorian midfielder who has impressed in Serie A.
Arsenal and Tottenham are battling it out for AC Milan midfielder Franck KessieCredit: Sportphoto24/Marco Canoniero
Kessie’s partnership with Ismael Bennacer in the middle of the park has helped the Rossoneri storm to the top of the Italian league.
The 23-year-old’s current contract runs until June 2022 but Milan are hopeful of securing a renewal with the player said to be happy at the club.
They value him just short of the £50m mark as his stock has rocketed since the start of the season.
The report states a bid in the region of £23million could have been enough to snare him from the San Siro in the summer.
But now after four goals and three assists in just ten league games it will cost the Premier League sides nearly double that amount to bring him to England.
The North London sides believe the player has all the attributes necessary to succeed in the English top flight.
Kessie arrived in Milan in 2017 on loan from Atalanta before the move became permanent for £21.6m in July 2019.
The midfielder has featured in every game since play restarted in Italy amid the coronavirus pandemic, becoming an essential part of Stefano Pioli’s table-topping side.
However, Kessie got off to a tough start at the club, struggling to fit in but denied he was ever going to leave before turning it around.
He told BBC Sport Africa: “I have never even thought of leaving the club and no one here asked me to do so.
“Wearing this shirt, which is like a second skin to me, is a source of pride for me and my family.”
And as Milan chase their first league title since 2011, Kessie is confident they can continue their supreme form as they currently boast a five-point cushion over city rivals Inter Milan at the top.
He added: “We don’t set ourselves any limits.
“We are on the right path and we have to carry on working like this.
“We have great enthusiasm and high spirit. We want to keep it and nourish it even more until the end of the season.”
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
