N’Golo Kante is back in Paris Saint-Germain’s rumour mill, and his value is sure to increase even more during the World Cup. Chelsea must not neglect their indispensable star simply because he does not spend his days mewling for attention.
Every club has a few problem children, the squeaky wheels begging for sweet, sweet grease. Chelsea at times seem to have an entire club of them. Thibaut Courtois, Alvaro Morata, David Luiz, Eden Hazard, Willian… The exceptions to the rule are the players who go about their business quietly and professionally, the ones who do not drop ambiguous (or explicit) comments about their various dissatisfactions and wandering affections.
N’Golo Kante and Cesar Azpilicueta exemplify this second category. They are either savvy and professional enough to know what to say and what not to say in interviews, or they simply do not have a disloyal, immature, unprofessional bone in their bodies.
The Daily Mail reports Paris Saint-Germain may be considering a move for N’Golo Kante, reigniting talk from last October. The rumour proposes a £70 million transfer fee, which the Blues would use to buy 1-3 midfielders. The basic concept is sensible: it would take three players to cover for N’Golo Kante. But Chelsea would probably not be allowed to field a starting XIII to compensate for something as thoughtless as selling Kante.
If, somehow, the footballing world is unsure of Kante’s value or how transferrable his skills are beyond the Premier League, the World Cup will settle all doubts. Kante will likely spend the entire tournament alongside Paul Pogba in France’s midfield. The contrast between these two players will make them each reach their highest potential. If Kante and Pogba can deliver as individuals (rarely a question with Kante), their partnership will have exponential returns. As a result, N’Golo Kante could leave Russia with a transfer value close to Pogba’s.
Chelsea must be aware of this possibility, and have a plan for resisting offers and protecting Kante. Come August, Chelsea could still not have a technical director. They will likely still be ignoring the coach’s input, especially if the coach is Antonio Conte. Their owner may still not be in the country. And they may be pursuing transfer targets at clubs looking to take advantage of Chelsea’s chronic transfer futility and complete lack of transfer leadership. The Aurelio de Laurentiis model may be the template for how all clubs respond to Chelsea bids.
Under those circumstances, an £80 million offer for World Cup semi-finalist / finalist / champion N’Golo Kante will be hard to refuse. But refuse they must, and they must refuse with Kante’s full agreement and commitment to Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea need to play a high press to keep transfer offers from attracting Kante’s interest. The worst case scenario is not a record-breaking (club record, league record, midfielder record – you choose) sale. The worst case scenario is a respectable, market-based offer that leads to Kante coming to the board asking – then demanding – they make it happen.
The Blues cannot sit back and think “N’Golo Kante, he’s one of our own, nothing to worry about.” Nor they can get caught with their pants down because they were so focused on Thibaut Courtois, Eden Hazard and Alvaro Morata when an offer comes in and Kante endorses it. Chelsea must reward N’Golo Kante for his drama-free persona and irreplaceable contributions on the pitch by attending to him as much as they do the drama queens elsewhere in the squad. They must ensure he is happy in London, satisfied with his contract, well-informed on situations around the club and content along any other dimension a club could use to pry him away.
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Otherwise, they will learn that good character seeks out fellow good characters. Chelsea’s board better become those good characters, and that starts with showing the proper appreciation and respect.