Franck Kessie could be a Dendoncker upgrade

The Barcelona midfielder could cost just £26m this summer.

Aston Villa enjoyed a fantastic end to the 2022/23 season and manager Unai Emery will be hoping the momentum can carry on into the new campaign.

With three players already arriving in the Midlands, the Spaniard will surely be aiming to add a few more fresh faces to his squad, especially with the added Europa Conference League fixtures which are set to cause chaos with their schedule.

With this in mind, Villa have shown an interest in Barcelona midfielder Franck Kessie ahead of a potential move to the Premier League.

Could Aston Villa sign Franck Kessie?

According to Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo (via Sport Witness), Villa are interested in bringing the player to England, and it is his preferred destination should he depart the La Liga side this summer.

He could cost Emery just €30m (£26m) and considering the Spaniard has already spent €55m (£47m) on Moussa Diaby and £31.5m on Pau Torres during the transfer window, big money is being expended on luring quality players to the Midlands.

A fee of £26m is certainly affordable and could turn into a shrewd investment by the manager as he looks to take Villa to another level.

Who has Franck Kessie played for?

Under Steven Gerrard, Villa made a few signings which haven’t really worked out, such as Philippe Coutinho and Calum Chambers, whilst Leander Dendoncker surprisingly arrived on deadline day from local rivals Wolverhampton Wanderers last summer, and it was clearly a signing of desperation rather than necessity.

The Belgian titan started just nine games for the Villans last season, and despite Kessie making just 16 starts across all competitions himself, he would be an upgrade on the current Villa player.

Indeed, not only did the 26-year-old register more domestic goal contributions (five to zero) than Dendoncker, but also more shots per 90 (1.66 to 0.51), shot-creating actions per 90 (1.91 to 1.18) and touches in the attacking third (133 to 67), suggesting he would be a much bigger threat going forward due to his attacking capabilities.

Despite his lack of playing time domestically, Kessie still managed to rank in the top 12% compared to positional peers for touches in the attacking penalty area per 90 (2.6) and progressive passes received per 90 (4.44), indicating that he is a prominent fixture in the penalty area, looking to get on the end of chances created by teammates.

The Ivorian further demonstrated his attacking qualities during his spell with Milan, scoring six Serie A goals in 2021/22 from just 25 starts while also holding an 88% pass completion rate and winning 4.4 duels per game – a success rate of 55% – displaying that he isn’t only a threat going forward but can also dictate play and is strong in one on one battles.

Talent scout Jacek Kulig lauded the midfielder as a “warrior” during the embryonic stages of his career with Atalanta and alongside Boubacar Kamara and Youri Tielemans, Emery requires someone like Kessie, who has shown he could offer both attacking and defensive qualities in abundance.

For £26m, it could turn out to be a wonderful bargain.