Franck Kessie set for Atalanta return after nine years, says Sky

Franck Kessie is close to returning to Atalanta on a free transfer after nine years away from the club, according to Sky Sport Italia.

The former Al-Ahli player’s contract with the Saudi Arabian club has expired, leaving him available as a free agent. Atalanta are now understood to be nearing an agreement with the 29-year-old midfielder over a return during the current summer transfer window.

Kessie first joined Atalanta in January 2015 from Ivorian club Stella Club. The Serie A side was his first European club, and he initially became part of their youth set-up before progressing through the age groups and eventually reaching the first team.

A return would bring Kessie back to the club where he began his European career. He left Atalanta for AC Milan in the summer of 2017, before later moving to Barcelona and then Al-Ahli. After almost a decade away, he is now close to rejoining the Nerazzurri.

Juventus also held talks with Kessie, but those negotiations did not result in a transfer. The proposed move broke down after the player and the club failed to reach agreement over his annual salary and the terms of the contract.

During his first spell with Atalanta, Kessie made 31 appearances. He scored seven goals and provided four assists before securing his move to AC Milan in 2017.

The Ivory Coast international’s contract situation has made a free transfer possible, with Atalanta working towards completing a deal that would see one of their former players return to the club. Sky Sport Italia reports that the agreement is now close, although the transfer has not yet been formally completed.

Kessie’s potential move would mark a second spell in Bergamo after a career that has taken him from Stella Club to Atalanta, AC Milan, Barcelona and Al-Ahli. His first period with Atalanta began after he arrived from Ivory Coast in the winter of 2015, when he joined the club’s youth ranks and worked his way towards senior football.

The midfielder’s departure from Atalanta in 2017 ended his initial spell with the club, but nine years later he is nearing a return as a free agent. Sky Sport Italia says the two parties are close to finalising the agreement, with the player having also attracted interest from Juventus before those talks ended without a deal.