Barcelona receive official bid from Al-Ahli for Franck Kessie

Saudi Pro League giants Al-Ahli have launched an official bid to sign Barcelona misfit Franck Kessie, claims Spanish transfer expert Gerard Romero.

Romero’s update says the Saudis have approached the Blaugrana with a €20 million offer for the Ivory Coast international, which falls around €10m short of the Spaniards’ valuation.

Al-Ahli are also ready to double the midfielder’s wages to convince him to leave La Liga after just one season, presenting him with a €10m a year salary package.

Kessie left AC Milan as a free agent to join Barcelona last summer, but Xavi Hernandez’s style of play hasn’t suited his attributes, turning him into a bit-part player at Spotify Camp Nou.

Following a single league start in 2022/23, the Catalans have put the 26-year-old up for sale, alongside several other marginal figures, to generate funds to comply with Financial Fair Play rules.

Lightening a massive wage bill is one of the club’s priorities this summer, with Kessie leading the list of players destined to move on after drawing interest from Juventus and Inter Milan.

Unlike Ansu Fati and Ferran Torres, who are unwilling to entertain other offers in favour of staying at Barcelona, the ex-Milan midfielder is ready to leave Spain for regular first-team football elsewhere.

Al-Ahli’s opening bid may not be enough to satisfy the club’s appetite but, aware of their financial prowess, the Spaniards have taken their proposal into consideration and are hoping to negotiate a higher price.

But as in the case of the two aforementioned players, convincing Kessie to leave for Saudi Arabia could be difficult, as the Ivorian wants to stay in Europe.

While he wouldn’t oppose a Camp Nou exit, he’d rather move to a top European club than leave for the Middle East at his peak powers, with Liverpool recently adding him to their list of targets.

As Barcelona are open to cashing in on their outcast, everything depends on Kessie.