Antonio Conte isn’t short of deep-lying midfielders at Tottenham Hotspur, with Oliver Skipp, Pierre-Emile Höjbjerg, Yves Bissouma, Rodrigo Bentancur and Pape Matar Sarr at his disposal, but Fichajes say the Lilywhites are interested in Franck Kessie and could make a bid ‘in the coming days’.
The 26-year-old has an uncertain future at Barcelona due to a lack of playing time in his debut campaign, so ‘negotiations could begin’. Tottenham are reportedly lining up a €30m (£26.3m) bid for Kessie, so time will tell if their pursuit is successful.
Tottenham have a lot of unwanted midfielders
Skipp hasn’t been a regular under Conte this season, starting just five Premier League games from a possible 25, so his future may be uncertain if he’s spending more time on the bench than on the pitch.
Big things were expected of Bissouma upon his arrival from Brighton & Hove Albion last summer, but the 26-year-old has made only eight starts in the league and has been forced to undergo surgery on an ankle injury.
Sarr has already struggled for playing time, featuring in only five Premier League games and amassing 136 minutes of football, so it’s little wonder why Kessie is a potential transfer target.
Kessie flopping in Spain
Barcelona signed Kessie on a free transfer from AC Milan last summer, but the Ivorian international has struggled at the Camp Nou. Kessie has made 28 appearances in all competitions (77.77%) but has amassed only 1190 minutes of football from a possible 3240 (36.7%).
The 26-year-old has started just four Liga games for Barca and three in the Champions League, so he’s not had the desired impact in Spain. Kessie has three-and-a-half years remaining on his deal but might be available for sale when the summer transfer window opens.
Kessie’s numbers for the season don’t suggest he’ll improve the Tottenham midfield, however. He’s averaged only 0.5 tackles per game, 0.5 interceptions per game, 14.3 passes per game and a 43% dribbles success rate. Fichajes say a £26.3m bid is incoming from Tottenham, but are the Lilywhites really keen considering his numbers?
Conte could do with signing a midfielder to replace the deadwood, but it may not be Kessie.
