Even though it might sound a little strange it looks like Chelsea are reportedly quite keen on signing 20-year-old Franck Kessie from Atalanta. According to the Daily Star, the Blues are willing to pay up to £28million for this young Ivorian who is deemed the next Yaya Toure. In some way, it would be understandable to pay as much as it is now speculated given the way the market is moving. On the other hand, the 20-year-old may be a bit overpriced but that is the chance you take. A total of under 50 games in Serie A cannot guarantee he will go on to have an exceptional career but there is something about the player that is rumoured to have seriously caught Antonio Conte and the Chelsea coaching staff’s attention. Sure, he is young, he is promising but £28million is a serious fee which comes with pressure and you only have to look at how Memphis Depay dealt with the expectation of a huge transfer fee but then again you look how other youngsters like Sanches at Bayern and others we mention later and players can handle these big transfer fees just not everyone. Hopefully Kessie can handle the pressure that comes with  big move should it happen.

The biggest argument in Kessie’s favor would be 18-year-old Renato Sanches’ transfer to Bayern. Now 19, the Portugal international cost the German side around the same amount as the Ivorian is worth right now. Then there’s also Leroy Sane for whom City sent to Schalke just under £30million. The list goes on with United paying £36million plus major add-ons for a 19-year-old Anthony Martial or £31million for Luke Shaw who was also 19 at the time.

Although these transfers can be a little risky when buying young players the upside here is enormous and has clearly received quite a lot of attention. Currently Chelsea and Antonio Conte are totally focussed on the main prize –  the Premier League title – and if Conte thinks Kessie is dynamic, he is very powerful for his age and he has scored an pretty impressive 6 goals from 21 appearances for Atlanta so far this season. He has also played 3 games at the Africa Cup Of Nations where although he has not scored he has impressed by all accounts. If Conte signs Kessie then based on the Chelsea boss’s transfer dealings how can you doubt him and if reports are to be believed then Chelsea are on the verge of signing a young, powerful, goal-scoring midfielder who has bags of potential and while he is clearly one for the future he also may be ready to make an impact for the Blues in the stretch run for the Premier League Title.