Arsenal Opinion: Why Arsenal need to beat Tottenham to a move for Franck Kessié

Calciomercato has reported that Arsenal and Tottenham are ready to go head-to-head for AC Milan star Franck Kessié.

The 22-year-old has struggled a lot this season, failing to live up to the great promise he showed during his spell with Atalanta. Since then, things have gone downhill, like most of AC Milan’s signings.

With the latest defeat in the Derby Della Madonnina, Calciomercato has reported that Kessié is now officially out of favour at the club. His performance wasn’t all that encouraging and that has irked Gennaro Gattuso.

However, the Italian news outlet has further added that Arsenal, Tottenham and even Chinese Super League side Beijing Guoan are in the race. But, given their situation, this is a move that Arsenal must make.

The Gunners are losing arguably their best midfielder in Aaron Ramsey and to Juventus, no less. But to make things worse, the Welshman is leaving for free once his contract with the Emirates Stadium side expire.

This will provide the north London side with a big headache in the near future, as it means losing a classy midfielder for next to nothing. Replacing Ramsey in this transfer economy would be as close to impossible.

But if Arsenal have a chance to sign Franck Kessié, it would help with the transition. A world-class talent despite all his struggles, Kessié is a lot like Ramsey in many ways.

An all-action midfielder, the 22-year-old can attack, defend and even dictate play if needed, showing his versatility and talent.

However, it’s really as a box-to-box central midfielder that the Ivory Coast star excels at, flourishing in that role at Atalanta. His stamina combined with his work-ethic makes him perfect for the Premier League.

It also provides Arsenal with a sliver of a chance to replace Aaron Ramsey. But unlike Ramsey, Franck Kessié doesn’t score as many goals, averaging about five per season in his career so far. While it may be a slight issue, the 22 year old more than makes up for it in other areas, including defensively.

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Conclusion

At the moment, Arsenal have been overly dependent on both Lucas Torreira and Matteo Guendouzi to provide that burst of speed and defensive hold over the midfield.

Adding someone as talented as Franck Kessié, will help the club take the burden off and furthermore, the Ivory Coast star is only 22 years old, which means it would be a long-term move.