As if the interest around Atalanta’s Ivorian midfielder Franck Késsié was not frenetic enough, Tottenham Hotspur have now entered the race for his signature in the January transfer market.
Chelsea have been considered among the favourites to lure the 20-year-old Côte d’Ivoire international to England, with Italian champions Juventus appearing to be the player’s other potential destination.
But now North Londoners Tottenham have made their intentions known, with a reported £20 million offer to his Italian club, as Spurs attempt to shove their way to the front of the Kessie queue.
Fresh reports in Italy suggest that the battle for Kessie’s services will come down to a scrap between London clubs Chelsea and Tottenham.
Arsenal and Manchester City have also been monitoring the impressive youngster, but the aggressive interest from their Premier League rivals has made it difficult for them to remain in the hunt for the midfielder’s signature.
With five goals in 15 appearances so far for Atalanta this season, the Côte d’Ivoire international is a hot property and will almost certainly leave Bergamo next month.
Chelsea coach Antonio Conte will hope to secure the player’s transfer to the current Premier League leaders, but their London rivals have shown their hand with a decent initial offer, and may be at an advantage because of their clear interest in bringing Késsié to the English capital.
The £20 million reported offer may not be enough to confirm the transfer, considering the interest from numerous clubs, but a slight improvement could see the Ivorian signing on the dotted line come January.