Liverpool are expected to progress in talks to sign Franck Kessie this month, according to Il Milanista, who say AC Milan are now prepared to sell him in January.
On Tuesday evening, I wrote an article about how Liverpool could sign the Ivorian on a pre-contract agreement in January ahead of next summer but now it seems he could join the Reds in the winter transfer window.
AC Milan are worried they will lose him for free and are now looking for interested clubs to see if they can recoup a fee after the 24-year-old rejected their latest contract offer.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, via football.london, the Ivorian has now rejected a fresh offer from Milan and with his contract set to expire at the end of the season, his future is shrouded in doubt.
Corriere dello Sport reported back in July, via Paisley Gates, that Liverpool were prepared to ‘agree a contract worth €7m/year i.e. around £115,000-a-week [€134,000/week].
AC Milan, as per Il Milanista, are unwilling to go above their €6.5m/season offer and he could now leave as soon as January and Liverpool, who already have Fabinho in the no.6 role, are interested in bringing him to Anfield to improve their depth in that area of the squad.
It’s an interesting sub-plot to Liverpool’s Champions League clash with the Italian outfit scheduled for next week with AC Milan said to want a swap deal for Thiago Alcantara.
While Liverpool are unlikely to agree to such a proposal, it doesn’t make sense for AC Milan if their issue with Kessie is over his wage demands as Thiago reportedly earns £10.4m per season (€12.1m/season) which is far higher than their Ivorian midfielder’s demands.
If Liverpool can sign Kessie and keep Thiago as well, the Reds can move Harvey Elliott further forward and he could serve as an attacking body in the squad and then Jurgen Klopp’s squad will be a lot deeper as a result.
