FT Hidden Gems Series: Despite AC Milan's troubles, will Franck Kessie succeed in Italy?

Ivorian talent Franck Kessie moved to AC Milan in the summer of 2017 with a lot of hype around him in the Italian league. The midfield enforcer looked to emulate the influence created by legends who played in his role at the club which include Seedorf, Pirlo, Gattuso, among others. In this piece, we look at where Kessie came from, what he brings to AC Milan and how the club has let him down in terms of his career progression.

Franck Kessie of the Ivory Coast in action during the International Friendly match between the Netherlands and Ivory Coast held at De Kuip or Stadion Feijenoord on June 4, 2017 in Rotterdam, Netherlands.

(June 3, 2017 - Source: Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images Europe)

Brief Background

Franck Kessie initially joined AC Milan from Atalanta on a two-year loan deal. This was in the summer of 2017 when the club went all in with their transfers that summer in a bid to fight for UEFA Champions League qualification. Kessie came in as a raw talent but with a lot of promise to become a regular first team player in one of the biggest teams. He had scored goals from midfield like Yaya Toure did during his stint at Manchester City. The 21-year-old was also trusted with some penalty kick duties in a star studded team with players like Suso, Andre Silva, Bonucci, Rodriguez and Calhanoglu at AC Milan. He helped his team during the season especially in the UEFA Europa League before they got knocked out of the tournament by Arsenal. Nonetheless, Gattuso reserved some praise for his young successor who fought hard in the middle of the park against players of the calibre of Mesut Ozil. In the end, AC Milan, failed to lift a trophy in the 2017/18 season on top of their failure to qualify for the 2018/19 UEFA Champions League tournament. They finished 6th in the Serie A which left many disappointed.

Kessie’s Abilities

If you did not know what he brings to the table already, it is great to know that he is comfortable with protecting the defence. Kessie is a no-nonsense type of midfielder who draws comparison only to a few players in his position today. The closest one, I could think of is World Cup Winner, N’golo Kante who annoys his opponents by tracking them down and shrugging them off the ball. It is no surprise that WhoScored identified one of his weaknesses as being the protagonist that commits too many fouls. Professional fouls if you ask me because he gets away with them and saves the team from counter attacks. He also averages 3.3 interceptions and 3.2 tackles per game. This type of player is rare to find in the current market. Teams like Liverpool and Manchester City lack that type of a traditional defensive midfielder that Kessie is and it’s only a matter of time before they come calling for the young African’s service.

Franck Kessie (R) of AC Milan competes for the ball with goalkeeper Keylor Navas (2ndL) and his teammate Marcelo (L) during the Santiago Bernabeu Trophy between Real Madrid CF and AC Milan at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on August 11, 2018 in Madrid, Spain.

(Aug. 10, 2018 - Source: Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images Europe)

Besides, limiting a player of Kessie’s calibre to focus solely on defensive duties would be a waste of his talent, and AC Milan have since noticed that. He offers so much more on the field of play with his fantastic ball control, dribbling ability and power to bomb up and down the pitch. Kessie can easily suit as the modern ‘box-to-box’ player who supports the team when in attack and also being the first to fly into a tackle when out of possession. His distance covered per 90 minutes averages at around 12.1km which is the third highest behind Vecino and Marco Benassi in Italian soccer. Kessie has the legs to roam the pitch and influence matches for AC Milan. He just needs quality players around him to keep developing his game.

Also, he comes to the rescue with his odd goals here and there. Franck Kessie has already scored 6 goals for AC Milan and has the potential to add more if he gets through on goal. Barcelona fans might not like hearing that Kessie has that striker’s instinct that their former player, Paulinho, has – probably because they are probably bitter that the Brazilian left them for China after the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia. The youngster is not scared to make forward runs and create options for his teammates in the penalty box which is an asset for his team who need the goals if they are to compete with the best teams in Italy.

Finally, his all-round play and defensive contribution gives license to other players like Higuaín and Suso to play freely and express themselves in the last third of the pitch. Kessie’s work rate basically relieves them of defensive duties which is every playmaker’s dream. This brings out the best in those players and it would not be a surprise to see Higuain topping the scoring charts once more this season in the Italian Serie A despite the arrival of the Portuguese goal machine, Cristiano Ronaldo.

How AC Milan failed Kessie

Franck Kessie #79 of A.C. Milan battles for the ball with Luke Shaw #23 of Manchester United in the second half during the International Champions Cup 2018 at StubHub Center on July 25, 2018 in Carson, California.

(July 24, 2018 - Source: John McCoy/Getty Images North America)

The club’s failure to qualify for the UEFA Champions League denied the young talent an opportunity of a lifetime to showcase his skillset against the very best teams in Europe. Kylian Mbappe, for example, played at this grandest stage at just 19 and went on to have an amazing World Cup in Russia thanks to the level of competition in the tournament which raised his game. Kessie cannot continue to work his socks off for a club that lacks the ambition to compete against the best in the world.

Apart from that, they sold Bonucci back to Juventus in the following season. This move shocked many fans who know what the Italian brings to the team. He is a defensive rock at the back and losing him could worsen their defensive record this season. This means that Kessie will be asked to do a little bit more to protect the defenders now that a legend has left the club and AC Milan failed to find a proper replacement.

Final Question

Do you think Franck Kessie should remain in Milan when their rivals are moving forward and continuing to make the right investments which beef up their squads? He is only 21, maybe he can learn a lot more from this experience.

Give us your verdict. We want to hear what you think about this young man’s future.

FT 2017/18 African Transcendent XI: LW - Percy Tau [Mamelodi Sundowns]

Many African players have light up the European leagues ever since the days of George Weah. These include Didier Drogba, Samuel Eto’o, Yaya Toure, Okocha, etc. who have performed at an extraordinary level in the past decades. Mo Salah of Liverpool and Egypt has been the fan favorite this year for his record-breaking goals and guiding his club to the UEFA Champions League final. But this is not all the continent has to offer. There are other young players who are showing early promises of reaching these levels or even better them. Therefore, FirstTouch reflects on the next transcendent U23 players in each position.

LW - Percy Tau

The only player to make it on our list of the next transcendent players while playing in the continent of Africa is Percy Tau. The 23-year old has been the star of the show in the South African Premier Soccer League in recent years. The South African player has been likened to Premier League stars such as Sadio Mane with former football legends like El Hadji Diouf claiming that he is better than the Senegalese forward who plays for Liverpool. If you want to know more about this player, you can read an article we shared about his heroic performances for Mamelodi Sundowns who recently played against Barcelona on Wednesday, 15 May 2018.

FT 2017/18 African Transcendent XI: CF - Emmanuel Boateng [Levante]

Many African players have light up the European leagues ever since the days of George Weah. These include Didier Drogba, Samuel Eto’o, Yaya Toure, Okocha, etc. who have performed at an extraordinary level in the past decades. Mo Salah of Liverpool and Egypt has been the fan favorite this year for his record-breaking goals and guiding his club to the UEFA Champions League final. But this is not all the continent has to offer. There are other young players who are showing early promises of reaching these levels or even better them. Therefore, FirstTouch reflects on the next transcendent U23 players in each position.

CF - Emmanuel Boateng

21-year old Ghanaian striker made the headlines a few weeks ago after inspiring Levante into defeating Barcelona to end their undefeated run. The player scored a hat-trick in the match and many fans have been curious to know what he is about. The young African player joined Levante in the summer of 2017 from Portuguese side Moreirense and has a mixed start to life in Spain. He only started 11 matches for Levante and has scored 7 goals. Three of them coming on that historic night against Barcelona. He made a claim to the rest of the world that he is capable of performing against the very best just like Samuel Eto’o did after he was released by Real Madrid. He went on to make the move to Barcelona and became a legend for the club. Are we witnessing another story of an African player who proves his worth at a small Spanish side before moving to the biggest clubs in Europe? What we know for sure he has started to attract the attention that had been reserved for Kelechi Iheanacho who has stagnated ever since 2016.

FT 2017/18 African Transcendent XI: RW - Keita Balde [Monaco]

Many African players have light up the European leagues ever since the days of George Weah. These include Didier Drogba, Samuel Eto’o, Yaya Toure, Okocha, etc. who have performed at an extraordinary level in the past decades. Mo Salah of Liverpool and Egypt has been the fan favorite this year for his record-breaking goals and guiding his club to the UEFA Champions League final. But this is not all the continent has to offer. There are other young players who are showing early promises of reaching these levels or even better them. Therefore, FirstTouch reflects on the next transcendent U23 players in each position.

RW - Keita Balde

The right-winger was born in Spain and chose to represent Senegal, his father’s country of origin. The 23-year old currently plays for Monaco having joined the club from Lazio in a £27.8m deal after the club lost their star forward Kylian Mbappe to PSG. They trusted that the African player has the right attributes to fill the boots of the most expensive teenager in world football. The player has been somewhat of a success. He scored 8 goals and created 7 in a season where he started 19 matches. If these statistics are not good enough, it shows that we already compare him to the best performers in Europe who have been consistent in providing assists more like Kevin De Bruyne. The Senegalese forward will be on the opposite side of another dangerous forward in Sadio Mane at the FIFA World Cup Russia 2018. Senegal will be a force to recon and this is thanks to how these African players have developed on the European scene.

FT 2017/18 African Transcendent XI: CM - Naby Keita [RB Leipzig]

Many African players have light up the European leagues ever since the days of George Weah. These include Didier Drogba, Samuel Eto’o, Yaya Toure, Okocha, etc. who have performed at an extraordinary level in the past decades. Mo Salah of Liverpool and Egypt has been the fan favorite this year for his record-breaking goals and guiding his club to the UEFA Champions League final. But this is not all the continent has to offer. There are other young players who are showing early promises of reaching these levels or even better them. Therefore, FirstTouch reflects on the next transcendent U23 players in each position.

CM - Naby Keita

Naby Keita made it in the German Bundesliga team of the Year in 2017 after guiding RB Leipzig to a second-place finish in the league. The following summer, Liverpool agreed on a deal in principle to take the Guinea international in the following year to the Anfield Stadium. The 23-year old has been the engine for one of the Red Bull franchise teams which have progressed in the past two years. The biggest headache that he will give to his new coach, Jurgen Klopp is his versatility. The player can play anywhere in midfield and can still be offensive. This season alone, he has scored 10 goals and provided 7 assists in all competitions according to WhoScored. He has been linked with clubs like Barcelona, Arsenal, and Liverpool before to show the caliber of player he is. He sure is destined to be a top, top player and it would be a mistake if Liverpool decides not to finalize the deal.

FT 2017/18 African Transcendent XI: CDM - Wilfred Ndidi [Leicester City]

Many African players have light up the European leagues ever since the days of George Weah. These include Didier Drogba, Samuel Eto’o, Yaya Toure, Okocha, etc. who have performed at an extraordinary level in the past decades. Mo Salah of Liverpool and Egypt has been the fan favorite this year for his record-breaking goals and guiding his club to the UEFA Champions League final. But this is not all the continent has to offer. There are other young players who are showing early promises of reaching these levels or even better them. Therefore, FirstTouch reflects on the next transcendent U23 players in each position.

CDM - Wilfred Ndidi

Nigerian midfielder, Wilfred Ndidi has already started to make a name for himself in the most competitive leagues in Europe. The 21-year old moved to Leicester in January 2017 for £15m from Genk. He has since proved his worth against some of the best tacklers in the game such as N’golo Kante and Idrissa Gana Gueye who are all of the African descent. Ndidi is leading the Premier League charts as the best tackler with 138 in his 33 league appearances. The player also proved that he is an all-round midfielder and can offer more in terms of goal creation as he has scored a goal and provided 3 assists for Leicester in the league and FA Cup. It is exciting to hear that the young Nigerian is being linked with clubs like Arsenal who have had many problems in midfield ever since Patrick Vieira left the club. Ndidi has the potential to be a Premier League great if he makes a wise decision which involves him moving to a bigger club that can take his game to the next level like the likes of Michael Essien did at Chelsea under Mourinho. The season has ended and his focus is on the FIFA World Cup where he will be representing his nation who will play their first match against Croatia. 

The 21-year old midfield enforcer is as good as anyone you can get in his position and will be looking to strike a formidable midfield partnership with former Nigerian teammate and Golden Boy Winner John Obi Mikel who used to play for Chelsea before he left for China. We expect Ndidi to be doing the ‘dirty work’ for the team before distributing the ball to the playmaker who will transition the play to attack and hurt teams like Argentina, Croatia and Iceland in Group D. Wilfred has a long career ahead of him and should be looking to prove his worth especially against Messi’s team if he hopes of moving from being considered a good player to a great player. Arsenal has been reported to be sniffing around the possibility of capturing the talented African midfield enforcer and making him their new Vieira who will shut opponents if they try to break them on the counter. Will Ndidi be ready by the time the tournament kicks off in 21 days?

FT 2017/18 African Transcendent XI: CDM - Franck Kessie [AC Milan]

Many African players have light up the European leagues ever since the days of George Weah. These include Didier Drogba, Samuel Eto’o, Yaya Toure, Okocha, etc. who have performed at an extraordinary level in the past decades. Mo Salah of Liverpool and Egypt has been the fan favorite this year for his record-breaking goals and guiding his club to the UEFA Champions League final. But this is not all the continent has to offer. There are other young players who are showing early promises of reaching these levels or even better them. Therefore, FirstTouch reflects on the next transcendent U23 players in each position.

CDM - Franck Kessie

The Ivory Coast (Cote d’Ivoire) international currently plays as the holding midfielder for Italian giants, AC Milan. The 21-year old is on-loan from Atalanta but looks set to be the heir of long-retired Gattuso who is coincidentally coaching the player at AC Milan. Many comparisons have been drawn between the player and another football legend in Yaya Toure who enjoyed his best years of football in Manchester, England. Kessie has been dubbed the long-term replacement of Yaya Toure in the national team and he has not disappointed. Although the club has had a poor season, Kessie appeared in 36 appearances scoring 5 goals in the process as well as providing 5 assists. Kessie shows early promises of being a dominant enforcer in midfield who can drive his team forward at his own will just like Yaya Toure did in England. He looks ready for the next big challenge, clubs like Arsenal should definitely have the player on their radar.

FT 2017/18 African Transcendent XI: LB – Ramadan Sobhi [Stoke City]

Many African players have light up the European leagues ever since the days of George Weah. These include Didier Drogba, Samuel Eto’o, Yaya Toure, Okocha, etc. who have performed at an extraordinary level in the past decades. Mo Salah of Liverpool and Egypt has been the fan favorite this year for his record-breaking goals and guiding his club to the UEFA Champions League final. But this is not all the continent has to offer. There are other young players who are showing early promises of reaching these levels or even better them. Therefore, FirstTouch reflects on the next transcendent U23 players in each position.

LB – Ramadan Sobhi

Stoke City’s Ramadhan Sobhi currently plays as a winger in Paul Lambert’s team but his versatility allows him to fill in the left-back position in the Next African Transcendent XI. The 21-year old comes from the land of Egypt which has produced a 2018 Ballon D’Or contender in Mo Salah and he is as skilled as the Liverpool player. Sobhi is confident on the ball which has seen him represent his club and country on 29 different occasions scoring 3 goals in a process. Not bad for a 21-year old who is not a starter for the English club. The excitement brought about when such young players take on the best in the league prove that the continent of Africa has so much talent and it is just a matter of time before that talent translates to strong teams that can compete for the FIFA World Cup and other international tournaments.

FT 2017/18 African Transcendent XI: CB - Eric Bailly [Manchester United]

Many African players have light up the European leagues ever since the days of George Weah. These include Didier Drogba, Samuel Eto’o, Yaya Toure, Okocha, etc. who have performed at an extraordinary level in the past decades. Mo Salah of Liverpool and Egypt has been the fan favorite this year for his record-breaking goals and guiding his club to the UEFA Champions League final. But this is not all the continent has to offer. There are other young players who are showing early promises of reaching these levels or even better them. Therefore, FirstTouch reflects on the next transcendent U23 players in each position.

CB - Eric Bailly

The African continent has failed to produce the best talents in this position which means that the focus will be on the Manchester United defender even though he is an already established player. Bailly joined Manchester United from Villarreal for £30m in 2016. He has proved his consistency for the Red Devils but he has had problems with match fitness. He has suffered some setbacks and injuries which have kept him out of the United team of late but the Ivory Coast international is Mourinho’s first preference in the heart of a defense. Bailly is popular for his confident and aggressive approach to the game not forgetting his passing abilities. He can easily pass as a defensive midfielder because of his power, pace and forward runs that he often makes whenever he is given the freedom to roam around the pitch in search for a goal. Many African players have light up the European leagues ever since the days of George Weah. These include Didier Drogba, Samuel Eto’o, Yaya Toure, Okocha, etc. who have performed at an extraordinary level in the past decades. Mo Salah of Liverpool and Egypt has been the fan favorite this year for his record-breaking goals and guiding his club to the UEFA Champions League final. But this is not all the continent has to offer. There are other young players who are showing early promises of reaching these levels or even better them. Therefore, FirstTouch reflects on the next transcendent U23 players in each position.

FT 2017/18 African Transcendent XI: CB-Chancel Mbemba [Newcastle]

Many African players have light up the European leagues ever since the days of George Weah. These include Didier Drogba, Samuel Eto’o, Yaya Toure, Okocha, etc. who have performed at an extraordinary level in the past decades. Mo Salah of Liverpool and Egypt has been the fan favorite this year for his record-breaking goals and guiding his club to the UEFA Champions League final. But this is not all the continent has to offer. There are other young players who are showing early promises of reaching these levels or even better them. Therefore, FirstTouch reflects on the next transcendent U23 players in each position.

CB - Chancel Mbemba

Congolese international Chancel Mbemba currently plies his trade in the English Premier League with Newcastle and plays as a center-back. The 23-year old deputized the injured Jamaal Lascelles and Florian Lejeune whenever they were suspended or out injured. The player has not been an instant hit in the English Premier League has started only 7 matches in the league and coming on as a substitute on two different occasions for the relegation-threatened Newcastle. The young African player must be relieved that his team eventually managed to survive which means that he has another opportunity to show his worth in the league unless the club takes a new direction and appoint a new coach who could make wholesome changes in the squad. Mbemba is just 23 and can be a great player if given the opportunity that the likes of Kolo Toure were given by Arsene Wenger at Arsenal.

FT 2017/18 African Transcendent XI: RB-Achraf Hakimi [Real Madrid]

Many African players have light up the European leagues ever since the days of George Weah. These include Didier Drogba, Samuel Eto’o, Yaya Toure, Okocha, etc. who have performed at an extraordinary level in the past decades. Mo Salah of Liverpool and Egypt has been the fan favorite this year for his record-breaking goals and guiding his club to the UEFA Champions League final. But this is not all the continent has to offer. There are other young players who are showing early promises of reaching these levels or even better them. Therefore, FirstTouch reflects on the next transcendent U23 players in each position.

RB – Achraf Hakimi

The Spanish-born right back plays for Real Madrid, the biggest club in the history of football. Popularly known as just ‘Achraf’, the player decided to represent the Moroccan national team because of his heritage. the 19-year old is the current second option in the right-back position in Zinedine Zidane’s team. His development as a player pushed Danilo, a £26m signing out of the club. Real Madrid has had some greats in that position before including current club captain Sergio Ramos before he moved into the center-back position. Hakimi is versatile himself and can play in midfield. It is safe to say that the player is in the right place to show if he is capable of competing at the highest level. With a couple of appearances under his belt and under the mentorship of a coach who pays attention to the youth as Zidane, we are guaranteed to be seeing the best of the player in the years to come. For now, we look forward to seeing the player at the FIFA World Cup Russia 2018 in Moroccan colors.

FT 2017/18 African Transcendent XI: GK-Andre Onana [Ajax]

Many African players have light up the European leagues ever since the days of George Weah. These include Didier Drogba, Samuel Eto’o, Yaya Toure, Okocha, etc. who have performed at an extraordinary level in the past decades. Mo Salah of Liverpool and Egypt has been the fan favorite this year for his record-breaking goals and guiding his club to the UEFA Champions League final. But this is not all the continent has to offer. There are other young players who are showing early promises of reaching these levels or even better them. Therefore, FirstTouch reflects on the next transcendent U23 players in each position.

GK – Andre Onana

22-year old Onana is a goalkeeper for Dutch club Ajax who guided his team to a second-placed finish in the league. Andre Onana hails from Nkol Ngok, Cameroon and is showing early promises of becoming a European hit like his predecessors. To those that watched football between the 80s and 90s, they should remember a famous Liverpool goalkeeper who was from Zimbabwe. Bruce Grobbler was popular for his comedic stunts between the sticks. If not him, then you probably know Vincent Enyeama. One of the African legends who played for Nigeria for the longest time. Andre Onana is on his way. Ajax is a team that has produced some of the best talents in Europe and he has a starting spot on that team. It is just a matter of time before the rest of Europe start bidding in for the keeper of the future who is already amassing 39 appearances in a top league.

Arsenal win 3-1 at home

Arsene Wenger set up his Arsenal team to play out their way into the quarter-final. It was clear from his tactics that the team went into the match just to dominate possession and frustrate Milan with an aim to counter them on the break. Calhanoglu’s goal came as a shocker for the Gooners and acted as a wakeup call for the home side as Danny Welbeck was tripped in the 18 area and scored the resulting penalty kick. The referee blew the whistle for halftime with the teams at level pegging. The second half was not the same. Granit Xhaka did what he does best in the 71st minute as he scored a long-range effort past Gianluigi Donnarumma who should have done better as the ball slipped under his arms and into the net. At 2-1, it was a mountain to climb for Gattuso’s men and Arsenal rubbed the salt on the wounds when Danny Welbeck scored the third in the 86th minute. That goal confirmed the elimination of the Milan giants who really deserve better. It is a shame that such a match between the two clubs has lost the hype as the teams have dropped a level and are no longer competing at the highest level. Next up is the UEFA Europa League draw. Will Arsenal have what it takes to sweep past everyone that comes their way and qualify for next year’s UEFA Champions League? Only time will tell.  

Battle of the Struggling

The UEFA Europa League clash between Arsenal and AC Milan on Thursday evening represented the battle of two teams that have pretty much been poor over the course of the season so far. AC Milan, much like Arsenal, has been a giant in their country Italy and their fans have a lot of expectations for the club that used to deliver titles when they had players like Seedorf, Pirlo, Maldini and current coach Genaro Gattuso. Gattuso’s team invested in young players like Andre Silva, Hakan Cahlanoglu, Rodriguez, Bonucci among others who were sought after by big clubs in Europe last summer. To the fans’ disappointment, the club has been underperforming regardless of who plays. The same can be said about the Arsenal side that took pride in beating poor AC Milan 2-0 in the San Siro. It was arguably a miracle for the team to turn up against their counterparts whom they lost 4-0 during the days of Robin van Persie. Last night, Mkhitaryan justified his switch to Arsenal with the opening goal less than 15 minutes into the game. Ramsey scored the other right on the stroke of halftime but all credit must go to Mesut Ozil who was bossing the game in midfield as he assisted both goals. This result does not fool the Arsenal faithful though because they face a mountain to climb if they keep progress in this tournament which is their only hope of UEFA Champions League qualification for next season.