Tottenham Hotspur hold an interest in Franck Kessie, according to his agent...

What's the word?

Speaking to Tuttomercatoweb Radio, the 24-year-old's representative, Massimo Brambati, claimed Spurs were one of two Premier League teams keen on signing the AC Milan midfielder this summer.

He said:

"Today, having a contract expiring in 2022 with an important player, one of Milan’s strongest, is a danger. Here is a basic error by the club. Now [Kessie] is the one who holds the knife by the handle and can decide what is best for him rather than the club.

"I know that in addition to Inter [Milan] there are two Premier League teams interested in him, including Tottenham."

Fabio Paratici, the newly-appointed sporting director at the North London club, should know about the 44-cap Ivory Coast international more than most, having witnessed his talents whilst at Juventus, so perhaps these reports should come as no surprise.

Shades of Dembele

In Kessie, the Italian supremo could well find Tottenham another Mouse Dembele type figure for the engine room.

Whether the Lilywhites need another central option remains to be seen but the box-to-box powerhouse is certainly a very talented player and one that could present an upgrade to either of Harry Winks and Moussa Sissoko, with both their futures seemingly in doubt.

The £36m-rated star emerged as one of Milan's most reliable players throughout 2020/21 and even begun to add goals to his game, making him a very threatening prospect in midfield - even if much of these came from the spot.

As per WhoScored, Kessie ranked as Stefano Piolo's fourth-best player (7.15) and ended the season with a whopping 13 goals and four assists. Only Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored more (15) in Serie A.

In terms of other output, the 6-foot dynamo proved to be an intelligent and powerful presence in the heart of midfield, where he averaged 1.4 tackles, 1.2 interceptions and 1.2 dribbles per league outing.

It's no surprise to see that Kessie has been lauded as an "extraordinary player" with "sublime intelligence" in the past, by his former Rossoneri boss Vincenzo Montella.

Pioli has also dubbed him the "complete" midfielder as he gives the Italian giants "physicality, energy, quality, protects the defence and knits the moves going forward too."

In some ways that can draw comparisons to the monstrous presence of Dembele when he was in a Spurs shirt.

The Belgian beast loved to get on the ball and drive forward but he had a tough nature to him that made him a force to be reckoned with - for example, during the 2016/17 season, he averaged 2.6 dribbles and 2.1 tackles per game in the Premier League.

Kessie is doing that and offering goals, which makes him a mouthwatering target to consider this summer.

By comparison, neither of Sissoko or Winks can match up to these numbers, in any of their top-flight campaigns in North London, so if either is to leave, then Paratici could strike gold with the Milan maestro.

The Italian and subsequently chairman Daniel Levy must look to Kessie for what appears to be an massive midfield upgrade.

AND in other news, Alasdair Gold reveals fresh twist in Nuno Santo pursuit...