Kessie between derby and transfer market: Barça tightens, Inter is in the background

Concentration. It will be Franck Kessie’s first goal in view of tomorrow night’s derby and it is not the usual banality: rarely has a Milan player been seen so at the center of market rumors during the final rush of a season that could lead the Devil to win the Scudetto and / or the Italian Cup. It will be said: last year something similar happened with Donnarumma and Calhanoglu. True, but for both Gigio and Hakan at the beginning of March there was still room for a happy ending, that is, for that Rossoneri renewal that never came. For the “President”, however, the story is different. Technically, nothing prevents him from extending his contract with Milan, but for many months now there have been no signals to that effect. And around him there is an air of resignation, understood as a lack of confidence in the possibility that the marriage will continue.

Barça and Inter

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For some time now, Milan has put on the plate an offer that would almost triple the 2.2 million per year currently received by the Ivorian. A figure that does not satisfy the requests made to Gazidis, Maldini and Massara by the agent Atangana. Initially there was talk of a concrete interest from PSG, but over the weeks the club that moved more than the others in the polls with the midfielder’s entourage was Barcelona. Xavi would gladly add to his tactical project an element with the physical and technical characteristics of Kessie, and the Blaugrana company is working on a suitable offer, compatibly with the budgetary needs of a club that is going through great economic difficulties. A bit of financial engineering is needed, because the Blaugrana are still under the Liga’s magnifying glass for the amount of wages and the latest additions (Alves, Traoré, Torres, Aubameyang) have offered low salaries, destined to rise over time. Maybe Barça could get around the problem with a signing bonus, being a free agent, but everything is still to be defined. In the background, however, there is also the shadow of Inter. Who did not sink the blow – also to avoid the risk of weighing down the company’s accounts – but is keeping ready, in case a big player in the midfield should leave in the summer. The Nerazzurri management likes Kessie very much, Inzaghi certainly would not disdain a reinforcement of this caliber.

Atmosphere

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Obviously the Milan fans do not in the least like – euphemism – a scenario of this type. Calhanoglu’s wound is too fresh, unacceptable to see another big shot go away on a free transfer and find him as an opponent in the 2022-23 derby. In the match against Sampdoria, heavy Rossoneri whistles rained in the direction of the “President” when reading the formations, something that was repeated – to a lesser extent – in the match against Udinese. Stefano Pioli continues to protect the player: “he is making a positive contribution despite scoring fewer goals”, he said in the pre-derby conference of the Italian Cup. Commendable attitude, as it is in the style of the Rossoneri coach. Commendable and at the same time pragmatic, because Kessie serves and will serve until the end. Starting tomorrow evening, given the disqualification of Tonali.