Barcelona sign midfielder Franck Kessie from AC Milan on free transfer 

10:11 AM ET Sam Marsden Moises Llorens Barcelona have confirmed the signings of Franck Kessie and Andreas Christensen on free transfers from AC Milan and Chelsea respectively. Kessie, 25, has joined Barca on a four-year deal after his contract expired with Milan on June 30. - La Liga on ESPN+: Stream LIVE games and replays (U.S. only) The midfielder has a €500 million release clause in his new contract, which runs to 2026. Barca will present him on Wednesday. The Ivory Coast international's move to Camp Nou ends his five-year stay at the Rossoneri where he made 224 appearances and scored 39 goals. Kessie strengthens coach Xavi Hernandez's options in midfield and will compete for a place in the team with Sergio Busquets, Pedri, Gavi and Nico Gonzalez. After moving to Italy with Atalanta in 2015 and following a loan spell with Cesena, Kessie joined Milan on loan in 2017 before making the move permanently in 2019. He played a central role this season as Milan won a first Serie A title in 11 years, scoring six times in 31 appearances, including one against Sassuolo last weekend as the league was wrapped up. Meanwhile, Denmark international Christensen, 26, joins Barca after his contract expired with Chelsea last month. The defender's move to Camp Nou brings an end to his 10-year stay at Chelsea, where he made 161 first-team appearances. Christensen strengthens the centre-back options for the club that includes Ronald Araujo, who recently signed a new long-term contract, Gerard Pique and Eric Garcia. Clement Lenglet, Samuel Umtiti and Oscar Mingueza all remain at the club, too, but sources have told ESPN they will be encouraged to leave. After making his senior debut for Chelsea in 2014, Christensen completed a two-year loan spell at Bundesliga side Borussia Monchengladbach between 2015 and 2017. He has featured regularly under several different coaches since returning to Stamford Bridge, helping the club win the Europa League in 2019 and the Champions League in 2021.

Soccer-Kessie joins Barcelona as free agent after leaving AC Milan 

© Reuters/ALBERTO LINGRIA Serie A - U.S. Sassuolo v AC Milan (Reuters) - Ivory Coast midfielder Franck Kessie has joined Barcelona on a free transfer after leaving AC Milan, the LaLiga club announced on Monday. Barcelona said Kessie has signed a contract until June 2026 and his buy-out clause would be set at 500 million euros ($522.80 million). The 25-year-old left AC Milan at the end of his contract in June after helping the Italian club win their first Serie A title in 11 years last season. Gallery: Bundesliga transfer window 2022 - updates (DW) Kessie, who can contribute in attack and defence, has 58 caps for Ivory Coast. Barcelona came second in LaLiga last season, finishing behind rivals Real Madrid. ($1 = 0.9564 euros) (Reporting by Manasi Pathak in Bengaluru; Editing by Christian Radnedge)

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