Atalanta may not be the first club that comes to mind when you think of Serie A, but the Bergamo side can certainly boast one of the best youth academies in Italy. La Dea may only have a single Coppa Italia and six Serie B titles to their name, but their conveyor belt of talent reads like a proverbial who's who of Italian football.

 

In Pippo Inzaghi and Roberto Donadoni, two players who need no introduction, Atalanta can lay claim to giving an early football education to two of the best known names in the Italian game. In recent years the likes of Torino's Davide Zapacosta and Daniele Baselli, Napoli's Alberto Grassi (who coincidentally is back on loan), AC Milan's Riccardo Montolivo, and Juventus' Simone Zaza have all come through the much lauded youth system; the fact is that Atalanta, despite a lack of success themselves, have significantly contributed to the success of others around them.

 

Which brings us to Franck Kessie, the 19 year old wonderkid who is lighting up Serie A as Atalanta, having the season of their lives, secured their 8th win in 11 games with a 2-1 victory over Empoli on Tuesday evening; Kessie was instrumental having come on as a half time substitute, scoring the equaliser and playing a major role in D'Alessandro's winner with his sheer presence and running power. 

 

Kessie was born on December 19th 1996 in Ouragahio, Ivory Coast and started his career with Stella Club in his home nation, playing just a single season before Atalanta brought him to Italy. He was immediately sent on loan to Serie B side Cesena, where he played a total of 2735 minutes, making 37 appearances and scoring 4 goals. Kessie can also boast an impressive disciplinary record despite his style of play, with just 5 bookings and no dismissals in his debut season in Italian football.

 

It was this form which led to Atalanta recalling the player for their 2016/17 campaign and the decision has proved wise as Kessie cemented his place in the team and became an integral part of a side currently sitting 6th in Serie A on 32 points, just two off a Champions League place; Atalanta ended their previous campaign with 45 points, finishing 13th on goal difference to Torino.

 

With six goals and a single assist to his name, averaging a goal every 226 minutes, Kessie offers a reasonable goal threat from midfield but his bursting runs from deep and his physical and imposing style of play is what has seen both Chelsea and Liverpool linked with the player, as well as Serie A champions Juventus.

 

At Chelsea, Kessie may find games hard to come by as Conte settles on his centre midfield pairing of Kante and Matic, however Juventus are continually linked with the 6'4 Serbian and any move there could see Abramovich move quickly for Kessie who would offer a like for like physical presence albeit almost a decade younger. 

 

Up the M6 in Liverpool, Juergen Klopp has also settled on a midfield trio of Jordan Henderson, Adam Lallana and Georginio Wijnaldum so it is also debatable that Kessie would be able to immediately force his way into Klopp's plans as much as he could Conte's.

 

What Kessie has that none of the Liverpool midfield has is sheer physicality. In a league that is as fast as it is physically demanding, the Liverpool midfield trio all stand at well under 6ft tall and while technically gifted as they are, perhaps Klopp has the more pressing need for a player of Kessie's build and style to mix things up a little and provide his midfield with more options for the second half of the campaign.

 

Despite reports to the contrary, Juventus do not have a deal in place for Kessie and numerous reports from Italy suggest that Atalanta are far more willing to do business with a club from outside Italy rather than have Kessie move to Turin and return to haunt them.

 

Remember the name, because regardless of where his career takes him, whether in January or next summer, what is certain is that we have not heard the last of Franck Yannick Kessie.


James McGhie (@jrmcghie) is the founder of @SemprePodcast,the original & best SSC Napoli podcast for English speaking supporters across the world.