AC Milan are hoping to strike a swap deal with Liverpool involving Thiago Alcantara and Franck Kessie in the next transfer window.
According to the latest report from Il Milanista, Liverpool are among the clubs interested in the services of Franck Kessie. The AC Milan midfielder is facing an uncertain future at the club, with his current contract at San Siro expiring at the end of the season.
There is a growing belief that Milan may have to offload Kessie for free next summer. But their chiefs Paolo Maldini and Frederic Massara appear to have come up with a plan, which is essentially a direct swap deal with Liverpool, involving Kessie and Thiago Alcantara.
The arrangement certainly benefits Milan, who are intent on avoiding losing Kessie for free next summer. Hence, they are hopeful of striking a swap deal with Liverpool, knowing the Reds are in the market for a new midfielder, having missed out on one during the summer transfer window.
A swap deal looks hugely favourable to Milan, but it could benefit Liverpool as well, as they haven’t had much success with the acquisition of Thiago for free last summer. The talented midfielder joined from Bayern Munich last year but is yet to establish himself as a key component in Jurgen Klopp’s midfield unit.
Many experts claim that Thiago’s style of play is not suited to Klopp’s tactical philosophy. Kessie, in that regard, might be a better fit, as he is a more box to box alternative and has the ability to not only replace but also prove to be an upgrade over Gini Wijnaldum. The ageing Dutchman joined Paris Saint-Germain in the summer, also on a free transfer.
Competition, though, is going to be stiff, with Kessie being courted by Tottenham Hotspur among many other clubs in Europe. It also appears unlikely that Klopp would want to offload Thiago so soon after signing him from Bayern. A lot perhaps will depend on how the Spaniard performs during the first half of the campaign.
In other news, for Liverpool, they are eyeing up potential talents in the attacking department in light of the uncertainty over the contract situation of Mohamed Salah as well as the lack of depth in the side. Karim Adeyemi has been identified as a potential option, but they are set to face stiff competition from FC Barcelona.
