With his current contract set to expire in the summer, question marks continue to be raised over the future of Franck Kessie at AC Milan.
The 24-year-old’s development and progression with the Rossoneri was initially slow following his arrival from Atalanta in 2017, but he has undoubtedly taken his game to the next level over the past 18 months to two years.
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During that period, he has firmly established himself as a pivotal figure in the current Milan side under Stefano Pioli, while his partnership with Ismael Bennacer last season was the bedrock of our revival.
However, through a combination of injury and contract distractions, Kessie has fallen short of the high standards he set previously so far this season, as his performances have been inconsistent and underwhelming for the most part.
With doubts growing over his future, as MilanNews report that his renewal is ‘complicated’ given there is still a significant distance between offer and demand, as per Sky Sport Italia, are Milan well positioned to move on from the Ivorian international if an agreement can’t be reached?
Bennacer fundamental, Tonali growth fills void
It’s worth noting to begin, that given the quality and room for improvement that Kessie has, it would be ideal if he did sign an extension and stay with Milan for the foreseeable future.
He still has a big role to play for us, and his characteristics and attributes suit the league, our team and the way in which Pioli wants his side to play.
However, Milan have shown with both Gianluigi Donnarumma and Hakan Calhanoglu that they will not be held to ransom by players over contract talks, and so if Kessie isn’t willing to lower his demands, he may well have to consider other options.
With Bennacer still a fundamental piece in our midfield engine room as he tries to rediscover his best form on a consistent basis, coupled with the growth and maturity shown by Sandro Tonali so far this season, Milan are seemingly well covered in that area of the pitch in terms of first-choice options.
The level to which Tonali has stepped up his game has been impressive in particular, and as he is still only 21 years of age, he has a huge future ahead of him for the Rossoneri if he continues on this current path.
That in turn softens the potential blow of losing Kessie in the summer, as we have a player ready to step in and replace him already. One who took a well-documented pay-cut which he himself has since confirmed to sign a long-term deal this past summer, and who clearly values the opportunity of representing Milan more than money.
We may well find ourselves in a similar position with Tonali in a few years time as his talent will need to be rewarded at some point, but for now, Milan are in a strong position with regards to Kessie as we have no pressing need to bow to his demands and give in. Further, there is also the possibility that Milan bring in midfield reinforcements moving forward to add competition, and so Kessie, however important he is to us, could be on his way out next year.