Franck Kessie sets out plans for future amid Barcelona exit talk

Franck Kessie has said that he is planning to stay at Barcelona "for many years" amid the recent speculation surrounding his future at Camp Nou.

The Ivory Coast international ran down his contract at AC Milan before signing for Barcelona on a free transfer last summer, and he is believed to have rejected a number of Premier League clubs to move to Camp Nou.

Kessie has been a regular for the Catalan giants this term, featuring on 30 occasions in all competitions, contributing two goals and three assists in the process.

The 26-year-old has struggled for starts for much of the campaign, but he has benefitted from Pedri's recent injury to become a regular in recent weeks.

There remains widespread speculation surrounding his future, with Tottenham Hotspur believed to be looking to sign him during this summer's transfer window.

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However, Kessie has said that he has no desire to seek a move away from the La Liga leaders.

"It never even crossed my mind to leave Barcelona. I'm a Cule and I plan to stay here for many years," he told SPORT.

"Things are going very well. I'm happy to be here, the teammates, the work and the relationship with the staff and with the club in general, it's great to be here.

"My first few months here were difficult, as I wasn't playing much. Xavi always told me to be patient, that he trusted me. He told me to persevere and to continue to work hard, and that my opportunities would come."

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Kessie scored 37 goals and registered 16 assists in his 223 appearances for AC Milan before arriving at Camp Nou, and he also spoke about the differences between the two clubs.

"I would say that Milan and Barcelona have two different ways of playing and understanding football. Here you see that it is much more technical. At Milan it was much more direct. The main thing was the result," he added.

Speaking in January, Barcelona president Joan Laporta said that Kessie would "continue to be important" for the club when he ruled out a mid-season exit.

"I don't have any intention of selling Kessie in January, he will continue to be important for us," Laporta told reporters. "We're happy with our squad, the players will continue to be important over the rest of the season."

Barcelona could lose club captain Sergio Busquets on a free transfer this summer, while there is again speculation surrounding the future of Frenkie de Jong, with Manchester United said to be looking to reignite their interest in the Netherlands international.