Barcelona coach Xavi has reportedly persuaded Milan midfielder Franck Kessié to snub offers from the Premier League and join the Catalans as a free agent.
The Ivory Coast international refused to put pen to paper on a contract extension with the Rossoneri and is eligible to sign a pre-contract agreement with any club ahead of a free move in the summer.
He has received offers from several clubs in Europe, especially from the Premier League, but according to Calciomercato.com, the 25-year-old is set to join Barcelona. The La Liga giants are finalising the last details with the player’s agent George Atangana.
The report claims that English clubs had offered a higher salary than Barcelona, but Kessié opted to move to Spain after a call from coach Xavi who persuaded him to move to the Nou Camp.
The tradition of a storied club like Barcelona has done the rest and Kessié is now on the verge of finalising his move to Spain. Contacts between the Catalans and the player’s agent will continue today, but Kessié seems to have made up his mind about his next club.