Manchester United Transfer News: Latest on Franck Kessie and Gareth Bale Rumours
Ivory Coast international Franck Kessie has revealed his desire to one day play in the Premier League with Manchester United.
The midfield powerhouse plies his trade with Serie A side Atalanta, although he recently admitted to Sky Sports Italia that donning the famous red shirt at Old Trafford is his goal (h/t Rhys Turrell of the Daily Star): “I like the English league, now I have to learn the Italian tactic and then maybe one day to go to Manchester United. I do not know if there will be even [manager Jose] Mourinho, but the team I always liked.”
Despite Kessie’s love for United, he came perilously close to joining the English top flight with another team in the summer.
Steve Brown of the Chronicle reported that a deal with Sunderland was all but done when the transfer window was open, only for a work-permit issue to stop the move in its tracks.
The struggling Black Cats could well have done with Kessie in the 2016/17 campaign, as he’s started Serie A in explosive fashion, scoring four goals in just three matches.
Finding the back of the net isn’t what Kessie is all about, though. Sure, he has lethal finishing ability in his armoury, but the main part of his game is getting from box-to-box and orchestrating play.
In fact, he told Sky Sports Italia he models himself on two of the best players in that role: Yaya Toure and Michael Essien.
He does it pretty well too. Football writer Luke Osman is one of many to have sung the 19-year-old’s praises:
Being at such a tender age, Kessie has a few important years in front of him before trying to mix it with Europe’s elite. But if his development continues at such a rate, he’ll be ready for the big time soon.
Elsewhere, United are reportedly considering selling captain Wayne Rooney next summer and bringing Real Madrid star Gareth Bale in to replace him.
Daniel Cutts of the Sun wrote that the Red Devils hope to cash in on the England skipper before it’s too late.
Rooney earns a whopping £300,000 per week at Old Trafford, but his performances of late simply haven’t reflected as much.
Unless the 30-year-old regains his form and starts firing, you wouldn’t blame Mourinho for letting him leave. And landing Bale thereafter would see even Rooney’s biggest fans forgive the decision.
Two defeats in the last two matches have left Manchester United fans fearing the worst in 2016/17.
Although they’re blessed with a star-studded squad and seemingly infinite money to play with, the same problems keep popping up—particularly in defence.
Mourinho needs to get his tactics right in the coming months to keep the United faithful on his side, starting with Sunday’s tricky-looking trip to Watford.
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