Chelsea have been beaten in the race to sign Atlanta star Franck Kessie by AS Roma, report the Daily Star.
It took a while for Kessie to establish himself as an important member of Atlanta’s squad. He was shipped out on loan to Italian counterparts Cesena, where he was given the opportunity to showcase his talent and subsequently earned himself a spot in Atlanta’s first-team squad this season.
Kessie has continued to be given the opportunity to perform, and has continued to develop into an extremely accomplished midfielder. His good performances in Italy do not appear to have gone unnoticed across Europe.
The Daily Star report that Premier League leaders Chelsea are interested in signing the Ivorian, as Antonio Conte looks to build on what looks to be a title-winning squad. However, it doesn’t look as though the Blues will be getting their man.
The Star believe that Roma have agreed a £23million fee with Atlanta for the exchange of Kessie’s services. Chelsea will have to look elsewhere in their search of midfield reinforcements.