Juventus are very serious about Kessié: they want a deal with Barça now
Barcelona won't stand in the midfielder's way if a favourable deal is struck
Franck Kessié's departure from Barcelona is heating up. The player's priority is to stay, but Juventus' insistence could lead to his departure from the Blaugrana in the next few days, provided there is an agreement between the clubs.
A meeting is scheduled imminently in the United States to discuss the player and Juve want to reach a pre-agreement as soon as possible because they are already making room for Kessié. 'Gazzetta dello Sport' reports that the decision to sign him has been made and that there is some optimism with the negotiations.
Juve have made a strong bid for Kessié. Their coach, Massimiliano Allegri, wants him to be one of the key players in his new project and has told his entourage so. The idea of the Italians is to sign him on a long contract so that he can be the driving force of the team, as Allegri is convinced that he could be important to win the league again. The first step is to convince the player to match the contract he has at Barça with the promise that he will be an undisputed starter.
Another thing is the timing and the agreement between clubs. Juve need to make space because they are very short of financial fair-play. The first step has already been taken with the departure of Arthur on loan to Fiorentina and they are very close to transferring Zakaria to West Ham.
The main thing left to do is to find a team for Mckennie, a player who is not even getting into the team's dynamic during pre-season, although Paul Pogna could also go. Everything is being managed quickly and, for that reason, Juve are hoping to find an agreement with Barça.
The Italian club are already very clear that a loan with option to buy will not be possible. Barça prioritise a sale for a minimum of 15 million euros. Either that, or to explore an exchange that could be appetising for both teams.
From Italy, the name of Federico Chiesa was mentioned, a player that Barça like very much, but who has a much higher price than Kessié. It is also true that Chiesa is not at ease at Juve and anything can happen. The next few hours could be decisive in exploring a favourable agreement.
