Barcelona announced its first two reinforcements that excite the fans

The Ivorian player Franck Yannick Kessie, 26, will play for FC Barcelona until 2026 after reaching an agreement with the Blaugrana club, to which he arrives free from the Italian AC Milan and with whom he will have a 500 million euro termination clause.

“FC Barcelona and Franck Yannick Kessie have reached an agreement for the incorporation of the player, after the footballer has finished his contract with AC Milan. The midfielder will sign a contract until June 30, 2026 and will have a termination clause of 500 million euros,” the blue club announced.

Franck Kessie, born in December 1996 in Ouragahio (Ivory Coast), began his career in the academy of the Stella Club de Adjamé in his country, until Atalanta signed him at a young age. He made his professional debut in Serie B, on loan at Cesena. In the 2017/18 season, AC Milan signed Kessie after good campaigns with Atalanta, after a loan that satisfied the ‘rossoneri’, who executed the purchase clause of 33 million euros in the summer of 2019.

With AC Milan he has completed five seasons, with 223 official matches in which he added 37 goals and distributed 16 assists, figures that FC Barcelona highlights. “To be an interior player with so much defensive work, they make him a very complete player,” added the entity.

“Franck Kessie is a player capable of adding value both defensively and offensively. The African midfielder uses his vigorous physique to recover a large number of balls in all areas of the field and, at the same time, to disarm defenses with his runs in space. As a result of this last situation, he is able to be very useful for his coaches in the scoring section. In addition, he is a true expert from 11 meters ”, valued the club that began its preseason work this Monday.

week of presentations

This Wednesday, July 6, the official presentation of Kessié as a new culé player will take place. In the morning hours, the private signing of the contract will take place at the offices of the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper and half an hour later he will walk out onto the pitch at the Tito Vilanova pitch, dressed in the first kit for the 22/23 season before conceding his first words as a new reinforcement of the squad led by Xavi Hernández.

But this will not be the only contract signing that takes place this week, as Barcelona made 2×1 in signings this Monday. Minutes after announcing the Ivorian, the time has come for Danish defender Andreas Christensen, who arrives from Chelsea as a free agent, accepting a deal until “on June 30, 2026″ with a “rescission clause of 500 million euros”.

Christensen will have his moment to wear the Barcelona shirt for the first time on Thursday following the same schedule of activities as Kessié. In the morning hours he will sign the contract, go out to touch the ball a few times at the sports venue and, later, give a few words to the media.

With these two signings at zero cost, the new era of Barcelona begins in search of returning to the leading role in European football. The leadership still has some more moves in mind in this market with the possible arrival of Robert Lewandowski and firm negotiations for Sevilla defender Jules Koundé and Leeds Brazilian striker Raphinha.

If everything goes as planned by the board, Spotify’s investment as the main sponsor and the two financial levers for the sale of television rights will give them the opportunity to make a very strong squad to face the next season.

With information from Europe Press.