Franck Kessie completes €12.5m move to Al Ahli from Barcelona

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Ivory Coast midfielder Franck Kessie has joined Al Ahli after completing a €12.5 million ($13.7m) move from Barcelona, the Spanish champions announced on Wednesday evening.

Kessie, 26, has signed a three-year contract with the Saudi Pro League side and becomes their fifth-Europe based player to join the club this summer. His arrival follows Algerian winger Riyad Mahrez from Manchester City, Senegalese goalkeeper Edouard Mendy from Chelsea, French winger Alain Saint-Maximin from Newcastle, and Brazilian forward Roberto Firmino, whose contract had expired at Liverpool.

A back-to-back league champion having helped AC Milan win Serie A in 2021/22 before Barcelona's La Liga triumph last season, Kessie has also earned 63 caps for the Ivory Coast.

"FC Barcelona and Al-Ahli SC have agreed on a 12.5 million euro transfer for the player Franck Kessie," Barcelona said in a statement.

"FC Barcelona want to take this opportunity to publicly thank Franck for his commitment and dedication, and to wish him all the best and every success in the future."

Kessie arrived at Barca last summer on a free transfer following the expiration of his contract at AC Milan, and made 43 appearances in all competitions. However, many were from the bench and he struggled to hold down a regular place in Xavi Hernandez's team.

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