Speaking of Franck Kessié is discussing a player who had a brief but memorable spell at FC Barcelona. The 28-year-old Ivorian midfielder barely wore the Barcelona shirt during one season, the 2022-23 season, playing in 43 matches.

Perhaps the most remarkable moment of his fleeting time as a Culé was his goal in the LaLiga Santander Clásico against Real Madrid on March 19, 2023. A goal that came in the 90+2 minute, breaking the 1-1 deadlock and securing an epic victory for Barcelona.

'Il Presidente' has shown a deep connection with the Barcelona fanbase. During his time at Barcelona, he lifted two titles (LaLiga Santander 2022-23 and the Spanish Super Cup 2023), forged strong bonds in the dressing room, considers himself a fan, and closely follows the team's current affairs.

Now, in a conversation with 'Mundo Deportivo', Kessié surprised by mentioning a signing he believes could fit well in the Barcelona squad, currently playing in the Saudi Pro League, where he joined Al-Ahli Saudi F.C. (2023) after his €12.5 million transfer from Barcelona.

The SPL player Franck Kessié sees as 'Barça level'

When asked if there were players with 'Barça level' in the Saudi Pro League, Kessié confidently affirmed, mentioning a young player with experience in LaLiga. "For me, Gabri Veiga, has the quality to play there. He's a good player, very talented, and still young. If he works hard here, I believe he can return to Europe and be at Barça, he already knows the league and can do great things there", emphasized Franck.

Kessié recommended Gabri Veiga, a midfielder who previously played for Celta de Vigo and was considered one of the great promises of Spanish football due to his breakthrough at the Vigo team. This performance caught the attention of Al-Ahli, who decided to sign him in 2023. The investment has paid off, as the player from Porriño is in great form, having played 20 matches and scored five goals in the 2024-25 season.

The Ivorian 'surrendered' to the talent of the young 'gems' of Barcelona

Returning to Franck Kessié, he also made an interesting prediction about a bright future for FC Barcelona due to the abundance of talented young players in the team, such as Lamine Yamal, Pau Cubarsí, Fermín López, Gavi, Marc Casadó, Pedri González, and Pablo Torre. "I believe Barcelona will have a great team, just like Xavi, Iniesta, Ronaldinho, Messi, Neymar... All the great players who have been there", he commented.

After making this comparison about the possibility of Barcelona building a new generation of talented players, Kessié emphasized the importance of continuing to work hard and listening to the great former players of the club, like Deco and previously Xavi, to achieve success. "If they keep putting in the effort, listening, and learning from those who came before, I'm sure they can achieve it," he concluded.