Why N'Golo Kante could prefer Arsenal to PSG
Suraj Radia
- 6 Oct 2022 16:22 BST
- 3 min read
N’Golo Kante could leave Chelsea next summer after entering the last year of his contract but, despite interest from the likes of Paris Saint-Germain, Arsenal could have the advantage to sign the Frenchman.
Kante has been an integral part of Chelsea’s side since signing from Leicester in 2016 but the 31-year-old has struggled for fitness in recent months and talks over a new contract appear to have reached an impasse.
The 31-year-old is one of the club’s highest earners and he is believed to have been verbally offered a two-year extension by Chelsea with the option of a third season, however Kante is reportedly holding out for a longer-term deal.
Kante is understood to want a similar-length contract to the three-plus-one-year deal Chelsea handed Kalidou Koulibaly in the summer, with both players being the same age, especially after the previous regime had initially assured him of those terms.
But with Chelsea reluctant to commit to a long-term contract for a big-earner in his thirties who has missed 40 Premier League games in the past three seasons, Kante has reportedly begun to explore his options.
Clubs in Europe are able to agree a pre-contract agreement with Kante from January and PSG are huge fans of his, having tried to sign him on a number of occasions, but the World Cup winner is not believed to be interested in a move to Paris.
Kante is still hoping to reach an agreement with Chelsea but a report by French outlet Foot Mercato claims he has been offered to Arsenal and Tottenham as he is settled in London and keen to remain in the city.
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What have Chelsea said about Kante’s future?
Chelsea boss Graham Potter has admitted that the Blues could struggle to replace Kante if he ends up leaving but insists that he is only thinking about getting the midfielder fit and back in the team.
"My focus is to help him get fit and enjoying his football,” Potter said. "There are not many players in world football like him, so the quicker he is back for us the better. That is where I leave my focus.”
🗣 "That's between the club and him."
Graham Potter says his focus is on making sure N'Golo Kante is ready to play and any talk about his future is between the player and club pic.twitter.com/Iyv2hW3GW5— Football Daily (@footballdaily) October 4, 2022
The ex-Brighton manager added: "It’s hard to replace someone like him. He is a world-class player and any team that loses him will suffer a little bit. But it’s up to the other players to take the step up and find the solutions.
"If we look at the options we’ve got, even if there isn’t a direct replacement, there are other solutions in there so we have to find the right one."
Read more about: Premier League, Arsenal, Chelsea, Leicester, PSG, Tottenham, Kalidou Koulibaly, N. Kanté
