Tottenham Hotspur's lacklustre season culminated in an eighth-place Premier League finish and a continuation of the absence of silverware that has plagued the north London outfit for the past 15 years.
News of Harry Kane's possible departure has been filtering in like an acrid smell over recent weeks too, with just one year left on the world-class talisman's contract and European giants reportedly pursuing the England captain.
Ange Postecoglou has left Celtic for a shot at steadying the Lilywhites ship, and now has the summer transfer market to rectify the mounting wrongs under chairman Daniel Levy as well as fashioning an outfit capable of competing at the top of the table and sustaining pursuits of silverware – a domestic cup run will surely be among the priorities next year.
One player who could help to return the club to greener grass is Barcelona midfielder Franck Kessie, with the Ivorian titan failing to make his mark at Camp Nou this season and consequently being linked with a move away.
According to Spanish outlet AS, the 26-year-old, who is valued at €35m (£30m), could make the summer switch and earn a more prominent role with Spurs – one which could bear fruit for all involved parties.
Should Tottenham sign Franck Kessie?
Hailed as an "amazing player" by former Spurs shot-stopper Paul Robinson, Kessie's sensational performances for AC Milan in the 2021/22 campaign led to La Blaugrana snapping him up on a free, and while he perhaps hasn't taken to life in La Liga as anticipated, he remains a first-rate star.
As per Sofascore, he recorded an average Serie A rating of 7.07 as Milan won the Scudetto, scoring six goals, completing 88% of his passes, averaging 1.3 tackles per game and succeeding with 73% of his dribble attempts.
And while he has made 43 displays for Xavi's distinguished side this term, winning the league and scoring three goals and assists apiece, Kessie only started seven times in La Liga, as well as on three occasions in the Champions League – opening the door for an exit just one year into his contract.
As per FBref, the £149k-per-week ace still ranks among the top 27% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past 12 months for non-penalty goals, as well as the top 12% for touches in the attacking box and progressive passes received, which, if replicated in north London, could allow him to flourish at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as a box-crashing midfield force, adding a new dimension to Postecoglou's budding system.
Likened to former Spurs star Etienne Capoue by FBref's 'Similar Players' model, Tottenham could finally have a player in the mould of the aggressive Frenchman to transcend his two seasons at White Hart Lane, where he played just 36 times before being shipped off to Watford for around £6m in 2015.
Since conquering the Europa League with Villarreal and becoming an integral part of the Yellow Submarine's system, the 34-year-old was something of a late bloomer, but appears to boast many of the attributes Kessie does despite entering the twilight phase of his career.
Indeed, he ranks among the top 12% of midfielders for pass completion, the top 25% for non-penalty goals, the top 22% for progressive carries and the top 15% for successful take-ons per 90, with a striking similarity to the physicality and imposing demeanour on the pitch to that of Kessie.
Hailed as a "warrior" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, the 60-cap Ivory Coast international could be the perfect addition to an already robust midfield consisting of the likes of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Rodrigo Bentancur and Yves Bissouma, and Tottenham must sign to complete their midfield under Postecoglou.
