Has Roma Moved Closer to Kessie?

The transfer rumor cycle seldom needs coincidence to perpetuate itself, but this week, with Atalanta visiting Roma, it has it in heaping handfuls. Outside of Papu Gomez, and before his departure to Inter, Roberto Gagliardini, Atalanta has been propelled forward by young Franck Kessie, the 20-year-old Ivorian midfielder some claim is Yaya Toure in the making. And, if you’ve been paying attention over the past several months, he may already be a Roma player in waiting...maybe.

With the Goddess descending upon the Olimpico this weekend it was only fitting that we were berated with a fresh set of Kessie-to-Roma rumors. The latest twist in this saga has Kessie, newly minted as a €28 million player, listening to “all offers”, which may or may not include either or both of the Manchester giants, Inter Milan, Napoli, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool, and hell, now that Milan are almost sold, we might as well throw their name on the pile.

Point being, despite all the claims that a backdoor deal for Kessie has been completed, the names and voices that matter, namely his agent, are openly playing the field, like a divorcee on eHarmony.

I read of supposed influence from foreign colleagues in the situation and that makes me smile, as it’s so ridiculous. I brought Kessie to Italy from Africa two years ago and have been in football for 15 years.

Nobody can decide where Kessie goes, other than me and him. As for his future, the only thing we have to take into consideration is if eventual offers are satisfying to the lad.

We are listening to all offers, then along with his current club we will evaluate what is the best option for everyone.

Don’t you just wish you were a football agent? You do fuck all (in terms of real, actual work) yet you get to bilk these kids and these clubs for, what, 15 to 20% of their earnings? Sign me up!

Despite all that hearsay, conjecture and misleading headlines, one needn’t perform more than a quick Hooli search to see the quixotically persistent Roma has signed Kessie stories. Nevermind the fact that the club may be looking at a €50 million shortfall this summer, leading to a massive selloff, are we really to believe that Roma will plop down nearly 30 million for another midfielder?

But you know what they say, where there’s smoke there’s fire, so expect to hear this story ad nauseum over the next 48 hours and probably several dozen times during the match on Saturday.

This is going to be a long, annoying summer transfer cycle.