Barcelona reach verbal agreement with €48 million-rated midfielder over summer move | OneFootball

Just a day after reports claimed that Barcelona had finalised the deal to sign Chelsea defender Cesar Azpilicueta over a Bosman move in the summer, the Catalan giants may have snapped up another free transfer signing.

According to Italian journalist Gianluigi Longari, Barça have reached a verbal agreement with AC Milan midfielder Franck Kessie over a transfer at the end of the season, when his contract runs out.

The Ivory Coast international has been with the Rossoneri since 2017, having joined from Atalanta, initially on a two-year loan deal, before the switch was made permanent in 2019. He has grown into a key member of the team at San Siro and has been integral to their rise over the past couple of seasons.

Kessie, though, could be playing his last season with Milan as his current contract with the Italian giants expires in the summer. Talks over a new deal have hit a brick wall due to the club’s unwillingness to match the 25-year-old’s wage demands.

And, clubs across Europe have been lining up to sign the ex-Atalanta ace on a Bosman deal before next season. Barcelona were among his strongest suitors but were facing competition from arch-rivals Real Madrid, who were also keen on signing the midfielder.

However, as per the update from Longari, it seems like the Blaugrana have beaten their rivals for the signing of Kessie, having reached a verbal agreement with him. The report adds that a contract has not yet been signed, although the club hopes to hash out the details of the deal with the player’s camp soon.

The 25-year-old, who is currently participating in the Africa Cup of Nations with Ivory Coast, would be a fine addition for Barcelona if the club manage to pull off the deal. A powerhouse of a midfielder, Kessie has added goals to his repertoire over the past eighteen months and would bring something different to this Barça outfit.