Franck Kessie: The future looks bright for the Ivorian midfielder under Ralf Rangnick
Dynamic midfielder Franck Kessie has constantly been linked with a move away from AC Milan but with Rangnick in charge things could change.
AC Milan have made no secret of their desire to offload Franck Kessie in recent months, with the club slapping a €20 million price tag on the former Atalanta man. Despite being linked with a whole host of European clubs including Napoli, Arsenal, and Everton, the 23-year-old could be set for a surprise resurgence under incoming boss Ralf Rangnick.
Kessie has failed to fulfill his promise since arriving at the San Siro in mid-2017, however, a string of indifferent performances as well as a number of changes in the dugout have seemingly hindered his progress over the last three years. Although rumors persist that he may be offered as part of a swap deal for Hirving Lozano this summer, his eye-catching performance in the Coppa Italia, coupled with Rangnick’s fondness for a 4-4-2 formation, may just buy him enough time to prove his worth at San Siro.
Despite their failure to progress beyond the semi-finals, Kessie’s display against Juventus on June 12th was praised by both fans and pundits alike. Despite playing around 75 minutes with ten men, AC Milan dominated the midfield with the Ivorian’s energy being key to helping his side stay in the game. His partnership with Ismael Bennacer looked extremely promising, and the pair may have done enough to keep their places when the Serie A season gets back underway on June 20th.
Prior to the break, the Rossoneri had been in mixed form, winning just one of their last five league matches, however, they had kept clean sheets in five of their last ten outings. Kessie’s work-rate and aggression ensured that AC Milan never looked like conceding against the Bianconeri, and fans will be desperately hoping that he can continue to replicate that high level of performance as the club look to avoid drifting into mid-table obscurity.
It’s been a disappointing season on the whole, with only a handful of players catching the eye. Ante Rebic has enjoyed a fruitful 2020, scoring six times in 15 appearances, with the majority of those coming from the bench. Five of his six strikes have been the opening goal of the game, and that’s been good news for those who have placed a first goal-scorer bet on the Croatian. As explained by sbo.net, it’s a market that is offered by all football betting sites, and the odds on the Split-born striker will have been fairly generous considering that he is rarely named in the starting XI.
Having played for Eintracht Frankfurt in the Bundesliga, Rangnick will be fully aware of the qualities that Rebic has to offer, whilst Kessie could be exactly the kind of player that the former RB Leipzig coach enjoys working with. During his time in Saxony, he relied upon a strong midfield with Naby Keita, Diego Demme, and Amadou Haidara all flourishing under the 61-year old’s guidance in recent years. The tough-tackling trio have similar characteristics to the Ivory Coast international, and he could easily become the focal point of this side under the new boss.
With Lucas Biglia’s sure to depart and Giacomo Bonaventura heavily linked with a move to Torino, the club could potentially leave themselves short in central midfield if they decide to cash in on Kessie this summer. Although Rangnick’s arrival is yet to be officially confirmed, sources suggest that the German boss is set to agree a deal in the coming weeks. As a former defensive midfielder, the incoming boss is likely to pay particular attention to this area of the field and, with his ability to close down space and put pressure on the opposition, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the highly-rated 23-year old given a starring role next season.
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