Former Milan player Stefano Eranio believes the Rossoneri ought to ‘give Franck Kessie what he’s asking for’ and renew his contract. ‘Without him, you lose half your midfield.’
The 25-year-old Ivory Coast international will be a free agent in June and negotiations to extend his current deal have hit a brick wall.
With interest from Paris Saint-Germain, Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United and more, Kessie is hot property on the transfer market, but Milan baulked at the €8m per season wage demands.
“If you lose him, you lose half your midfield,” warned former Italy international Eranio in La Gazzetta dello Sport.
“Milan and Stefano Pioli can show all the respect and admiration in the world, but we already saw with Gigio Donnarumma and Hakan Calhanoglu that really isn’t enough.
“Kessie’s agent is making some big demands, but in a squad where Zlatan Ibrahimovic earns €7m per season and he is 40 years old, I think Kessie deserves what he’s asking for.
“It’s about time Milan make an effort economically, because they can’t lose three key players in two years as free transfers.”
Kessie was signed from Atalanta in 2017, on a two-year loan with obligation to buy for a total €32m.
So far this season, the midfielder has scored five goals in 16 Serie A appearances, including a brace in the 4-2 victory away to Empoli.
He was used in a new role, as a trequartista behind the strikers, rather than in the two-man midfield.
There have been 205 competitive games in the Rossoneri jersey, in which Kessie scored 35 goals and provided 16 assists.
Eranio su Kessie: “Merita quello che chiede. Se lo perdi, perdi il 50% del centrocampo” https://t.co/lsJxW5fIup
— MilanNews.it (@MilanNewsit) December 24, 2021
I just think paying one player so much sets a poor precedent within the club. Ibra has 7m per season and there is demonstrated, unequivocal proof that he has delivered results, his heart is with the club and there is transparency. Much less so than with Kessie and he has moments of madness interlinked with shines of brilliance, I would say 5.5m is sufficient and that is an absolute push.
Eranio, NO.
Umm I disagree, doing so would be triggering a snowball effect and everyone would ask for exorbitant raise.. If he is asking for 5-6m then yeah makes sense, but he is asking for 8-9.. He is a great player, but so far, he didnt even continue his progression from last season..
Zlatan is different, yes he is also IMHO also overpaid, but his case is different thing entirely as he brings something else to the table (leadership, coverage, etc).
I agree with you.. In my opinion it’s detrimental to lose tree valuable players on a free transfer.
Having known that we could lose him for free, I suggest Milan gives him whatever he asks in order to renew his contract and then put him on the market in the summer for a better figure!
We see these everytime in England even with Olivier Giroud, Chelsea still got something from his sale! Milan directors needs common sense and stop loosing the club money
You also have to know what commission his agent is asking for, you know he will be. Add that on top then you will need a very high transfer fee just to get little profit, then you have to get a replacement midfielder on top, then you have all other players we are trying to get contract extensions asking for the same,it makes sense to let him go if he won’t sign on terms that benefit the club as much as the player. I wouldn’t offer more than 4-5 million basic, add performance bonuses so he can get close to what he wants if he deserves it
Eranio! Thank goodness you are not Maldini else, Milan‘s account would bleed blood without any achievement. Keep your advise.
Been saying this from the start. Makes football and financial sense. He would have played better this season too if it was all sorted out already.
Kessie so far is our best player this season, give him want he wants..
If he didn’t score those 2 goals you wouldn’t be saying this, Zlatan 7M is a different ball game, and the 7M is with bonuses and it’s annually, you wouldn’t put him on 7M for 5 years. Pay Kessie 8-9M and renew him, before you can sell some has to offer him 10M salary, and who would offer him that and then pay Milan asking price? I don’t think anyone would wanna do that because the didn’t worth that much and Milan would have to stuck with him for 4-5 years, and do you know how much that’s gonna cost the club? I can’t believe someone would advice Milan to pay him 8-9M when he only worth max 5M, it’s ridiculous.
We are screwed either way. He’s worth 9mil when taken in consideration that he plays almost 40-50 games per season and is a rock in midfield, plus scores goals.. But with a salary like that it would put a chain reactions on the team and their demand when future negotiations arrive. We are not able to pay those amounts yet. I’m afraid he will be shown the exit.
If Milan gives him more than 6 then all the other players will follow. Theo, Bennacer and Leao’s agents have been holding out to see what happens there despite the club trying to renew with them for some time. As soon as we renew with Kessie at those numbers they will adjust their demands accordingly.
I completely agree with Eranio. Kessie is worth much more than anyone else in Milan. Zlatan is over, unfortunately, he has been out in so many matches this year and if Milan extends his contract he might not be available for more than 10 matches next year. Save the high salary from Zlatan and pay more to Kessie so that he can stay. By the way, try to get Kvaratchkelia från Rubin Kazan. That boy is going to be the new Kaka!