Barcelona midfielder Franck Kessie is to arrive in Paris this morning ahead of his exit, just a single season after signing with the Blaugrana.
The Ivorian midfielder, 26, signed for free with Barcelona this summer, and was well-liked in Can Barca, but has failed to make a major impact on the starting XI, despite some excellent contributions in vital games.
However with the signings of Oriol Romeu and Ilkay Gundogan, combined with Barcelona’s need to raise funds, Kessie has been nudged towards the exit door this summer.
Now, it looks as if he will head to Al Ahli in Saudi Arabia, and sign a four-year deal worth over €20m to Kessie, as per Sport. Kessie did have alternate options in Juventus, and Tottenham Hotspur had also shown an interest.
🚨 Al Ahli are one step away from signing Kessié. There are advanced negotiations with Barça for almost €15m. The player has already said 'yes'. He will sign a contract for three years, earning €20m net per season. @MatteMoretto pic.twitter.com/Omt0f4HXdZ
— barcacentre (@barcacentre) August 3, 2023
However he has elected to head to the Middle East, and will arrive in Paris on Friday morning to pass a medical, after which he will head to Saudi Arabia.
It’s a move that ultimately Barcelona will be pleased with, having made a quick profit (€15m), and on a player that was unlikely to be crucial for them next season. There is a slight tinge of melancholy for a player that was liked by many at the club and in the dressing room, who in a different financial situation may well have been given longer to fit in at Barcelona.
