Franck Kessie is Real Madrid’s plan B if they can’t sign Tchouameni -report

AC Milan midfielder Franck Kessie is Real Madrid’s plan B if Los Blancos can’t sign Aurelien Tchouameni away from Monaco next summer, according to a report published on Spanish newspaper El Español. A club source confirmed to Managing Madrid that Los Blancos are indeed paying close attention to Kessie and could eventually offer him a deal in upcoming months.

Kessie is set to become a free agent in the summer and other big clubs like Barcelona, Liverpool or Tottenham are reportedly interested in his signing, so Real Madrid would have to offer him a decent contract if they truly want the Ivorian midfielder.

Kessie is 25 years old and has become one of the best defensive midfielders in European football. He would be a good fit in Madrid, as he has the ability to replace —and even compete with— Casemiro in the lineup. He’s a good passer and also a quality defender, so signing him as a free agent would make a lot of sense.

In fact, it could be argued that signing Kessie without having to pay any kind of transfer fee would be an ideal move to find a replacement for Casemiro. Tchouameni would also be a good candidate, but Monaco want to get at least €80 million to let him go, so Kessie could actually be ahead on Madrid’s shortlist.