After signing Enzo Fernandez on transfer deadline day, Chelsea turned their attention to renewals of players whose deals are expiring in the summer and in the next 18 months. N’Golo Kante is in the final five months of his contract at Stamford Bridge but the club is hopeful that he will sign an extension.
Kante arrived at Chelsea in 2016 and has been a mainstay in the midfield since then. He has been the heartbeat of the midfield for several years and formed a formidable partnership with Jorginho in recent times. Kante has had an injury troubled season, with his last appearance coming back in August.
The Frenchman is now in the final part of his recovery and should be back on the pitch soon. On the other hand, things seem to be progressing smoothly in terms of a contract extension after initially hitting some minor roadblocks.
Chelsea want a midfield partnership of N’Golo Kante and Enzo Fernandez
Chelsea and Kante have been in negotiations for a while and at one point, the extension did look difficult as the 31 year old was reluctant on agreeing to the deal offered by the Blues. CFC were offering a two year extension with an option for another year but Kante was in favour of getting a 3+1 year contract.
As per the Guardian, Chelsea are now closing on an agreement with the midfielder and are optimistic that his return from injury will bolster their midfield and in turn help them reverse their current fortunes.
As Kante is in the final five months of his deal, there have been suitors hovering around the Frenchman as he could have been available on a free transfer. PSG, Barcelona and a few English clubs were attentive to Kante’s situation as signing a world-class player on a free transfer would be an excellent piece of transfer business.
Kante has returned to training after his long lay off from injury and CFC are confident that he will be in great shape and can hit the ground running soon. As per the report, Chelsea are keen to see Kante build a partnership with record signing Fernandez.
The Argentine has quickly settled in the Chelsea side and looks one of the best players on the pitch. Having experienced personnel like Kante besides Fernandez, could help the Argentine further enhance his game. Graham Potter often deploys a double midfield pivot and it will be exciting to see how the roles work out between Kante and Fernandez.
Would a partnership between N’Golo Kante and Enzo Fernandez work?