N'Golo Kante future uncertain after Chelsea end two-year transfer pursuit
FT Desk
- 3 Sept 2022 13:45 BST
- 3 min read
Chelsea completed the loan signing of Deni Zakaria from Juventus on transfer deadline day. His arrival could be the beginning of the end for N'Golo Kante at Stamford Bridge.
Kante is rightly a fan favourite at Chelsea, the French World Cup winner interpreting his central midfield position in a way that few in world football can. "The Kante twins" helped the Blues to the Premier League title in 2017, and he was their Player of the Year that season.
But relentless pressing and humble hard running has been replaced by injury repeatedly in recent seasons, and the 31-year-old is now on the sidelines for the next four weeks due a pulled hamstring.
Four years of @nglkante! 😁💙 pic.twitter.com/Ygg16ZPGtQ
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) July 16, 2020
Chelsea first scouted Zakaria when he was at Borussia Monchengladbach two years ago, and have paid €3 million up front for Switzerland international, with the option to make the loan permanent at the end of the season for €33m.
Kante was linked with a move to Paris Saint-Germain in the summer transfer window, and it is a move that could yet happen at the end of the 2022/23 campaign if Zakaria impresses.
Related articles
How do Kante and Zakaria compare?
Kante still impresses when he plays, and averaged two blocks per 90 minutes as a pass completion of 88 per cent last season, but so too did Zakaria, he had identical stats for Juve in Serie A.
They differ slightly positionally. Although both are delighted to anchor the midfield, Kante also gets involved in the final third, whilst Zakaria was even used at centre-back on occasion by Gladbach and then Juventus.
That versatility is a boon for Chelsea, who lost Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christiansen on free transfers at the end of last season and might struggle at centre-back if one of Thiago Silva, Kalidou Koulibaly or Wesley Fofana get injured.
