Barcelona have verbal agreement in place to sign talented Serie A star - Reports

Barcelona reportedly have a verbal agreement in place for AC Milan midfielder Franck Kessie for a move in the summer, according to Italian journalist Gianluigi Longari.

Kessie has entered the final six months of his AC Milan contract. The 25-year-old midfielder can sign a pre-contract with any other team, and leave on a free transfer in the summer.

According to the aforementioned source, Barcelona are looking to bring in Kessie on a free transfer, and have a verbal agreement with the player. However, there is no official deal in place with either player or club at the moment.

Signing a highly rated central midfielder on a free transfer would be an excellent move for the Blaugrana. They are currently going through a financial crisis, and will mostly need to rely on free transfers and loans to strengthen their squad.

Manager Xavi Hernandez has a plethora of young midfielders in his squad, including the likes of Nico Gonzalez, Pedri and Gavi. However, the imminent signing of Kessie could be bad news for Sergio Busquets and Frenkie de Jong.

Busquets has been an excellent player for the Bluagrana. The 33-year-old midfielder has made over 650 appearances for the club. He has been an integral part of the club since his debut in 2008. Despite his stellar numbers, Barcelona will need to replace the Spaniard sooner rather than later with another quality defensive midfielder. That's because of a drop in his performance level.

Frenkie de Jong, meanwhile, has been constantly linked with a move away from the Camp Nou. The Dutchman has been linked with some of Europe's elite clubs, including Bayern Munich and Chelsea. With De Jong's current transfer value being €70 million, his sale would generate valuable funds for the Blaugrana.

Franck Kessie, meanwhile, has had a stellar career with AC Milan. The Ivorian midfielder has made 205 appearances for the Rossoneri, and has contributed 35 goals and 16 assists across competitions.

---

Barcelona secured an unconvincing win over Deportivo Alaves in La Liga

Barcelona secured an unconvincing 1-0 win over Deportivo Alaves in La Liga at the weekend. Xavi's side had to wait till the 87th minute to find a winner, which came from Frenkie de Jong.

The win was key for Barcelona to remain in the race for the top four in La Liga. As things stand, they are now fifth in the standings, having accumulated 35 points from 21 games. They are just a point behind fourth-placed defending champions Atletico Madrid, whom they meet on 6 February.