The agent of Franck Kessie has given an interesting interview revealing the background on the midfielder’s decision to leave AC Milan over the summer.
Kessie’s agent George Atangana has broke his silence on the conditions that led from the Ivorian promising to renew while he was away on international duty to then departing on a free transfer for Barcelona.
He is struggling to assert himself under Xavi at Barca, while Atangana spoke exclusively to calciomercato.com to reveal some background on his client’s decision to say farewell to Milan after five years.
“What feeling binds Kessie to Milan? Realisation, because he managed to achieve what he dreamed of when he signed for the Rossoneri. It was the first Milan after Berlusconi, it was a bet for us too and we won,” he said (via MilanNews).
“He actively participated in winning a Scudetto which had been missing since 2010-11. But we must not forget the brace in Bergamo in the previous season either, because if he had not scored those two penalties on the last day, Milan would not have gone into Champions League and perhaps the story of the following season would also have changed.
“And then there is that relationship that he had for so many years with the Milanese fans, which as far as we are concerned remains intact because we know how to be grateful and also because, frankly, we know what they are like when things turn.”
The Ivorian left Milan for Tokyo last summer with the promise to return from the Olympics and resolve his renewal, but the situation deteriorated and it became apparent that he would follow the fate of others that had left on a free previously like Gianluigi Donnarumma, Hakan Calhanoglu and Alessio Romagnoli.
“Calhanoglu, Donnarumma and Romagnoli have left and for the same reason it is also difficult to close current renewals, at least from what it seems to me. I don’t understand why only Franck’s farewell was so tormented,” Atangana continued.
Responding to the idea that it was because of Kessie’s promise, he added: “Of course, that was the intention. However, a one-way renewal cannot be closed. We also rejected offers from important clubs in January, precisely because there was a strong desire to reach an agreement with Milan.
“There is one thing that strikes me as strange, which is that after Kessié’s farewell, it seems that certain ceilings that previously seemed insurmountable can now be breached.”
Finally, the agent was asked if he feels sorry that Kessie is often spoken of in some unkind terms after the way things ended.
“On the one hand, I can understand the frustration of some fans, it can always happen when one of the best players goes away. While I don’t understand those who treat football for a living and who punctually write or otherwise spread senseless and unfounded news about Kessié,” he said.
“Sure, it’s been happening for some time now, but it’s better that certain things don’t become a habit. I confess that it was a painful separation for us too, but marriages are made in twos and at a certain point there were no longer the conditions to go on.”
