Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly now 'in the lead' to sign Franck Kessie from AC Milan.

The Lowdown: Stock rising

Kessie's stock is certainly rising and his market value has never been higher than the £49.5m that it is now (Transfermarkt).

He has become such a key player for an AC Milan team that has shot to second place in the Serie A table just behind rivals Inter, chipping in with five goals from midfield.

His performances have earned lavish praise from manager Stefano Pioli, who even went as far as to claim that he is a 'sumptuous' footballer earlier this term.

The Latest: Tottenham lead

As per Calciomercato, Spurs are now 'in the lead' in the race for his signature, although face competition from PSG.

Crucially, he is out of contract at the end of the season, and with no renewal at the San Siro yet, Milan risk losing him on a free transfer in the summer if they do not cash in next month.

The Verdict: No-brainer

At 25 years of age, Kessie is only going to get better, and so it is a no-brainer for Antonio Conte's team to snap him up now, especially with the fact that they could get a bargain due to his contract situation.

Likened by Milan legend Antonio Cassano to former Manchester City powerhouse Yaya Toure, whose six-foot-two frame helped him dominate Premier League midfield battles, as he was able to three top-flight titles, Kessie also has the potential to be a rock in the North London club's midfield for years to come.

He offers far more of a threat than the likes of Harry Winks, Oliver Skipp and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg from the middle of the park at the moment, averaging more shots (1.1) and key passes (1.1) per game in their respective domestic leagues so far this campaign (WhoScored), and should fit into the side straight away.

In other news, find out which 'undefendable' beast Conte is now keen on here!