Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte may bring in the English Premier League superstar from his London rival.
According to L’Équipe, World Cup-winning midfielder N’Golo Kante is in constant contact with his former Chelsea manager.
While Conte was in charge of Chelsea between 2016 and 2018, he signed Kante from Premier League winner Leicester for a fee of £32m.
After finishing fifth in the league, Conte was sacked as Chelsea manager on July 13, 2018. During the Italian’s time, Kanté was a key element of Conte’s midfield who won the Premier League with the club in the 2016- 17.
No offer from Chelsea
As reported by Foot Mercato, Chelsea have no intention of extending Kanté’s current contract, which expires in June. But France International wants to stay in London. It is true that the current owners of Chelsea are looking for younger options in the transfer market.
They have already started replacing older players. Kante’s recent injury history is also a concern for the Blues. Therefore, they can let go of their precious asset. The French midfielder is currently 31 years old and he still has a few years to go to maintain his best form.
With his contract expiring next summer, he has the power to pick his club as a free agent. Some of the biggest clubs in Europe will be attracted by his free agency. However, the midfielder is keen to stay in London, which makes Arsenal and Tottenham his only possible destinations.
Why not Arsenal?
However, according to Ben Jacobs of CBS Sports, Arsenal have not discussed a move to Kante for next year. They even have no interest in adding another injury-prone player to their roster.
The Gunners are targeting a very young squad and young players like William Saliba, Gabriel Martinelli, Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka have become the stars of dominant Arsenal this season. Although Kante can bring experience to this young Arsenal team, the Spaniard is not eager to snap up the former Leicester midfielder.
Possibility of signing for Tottenham Hotspur
If these reports prove true, Tottenham have a head start on closing this deal. Kante’s experience of winning major trophies with multiple teams will help Spurs end their trophy drought.
But the north London club may carefully assess the move, as the Frenchman’s fitness problems could haunt his potential next club. Kante’s €10m a season will be a huge headache for Spur, but Daniel Levy is an expert on the subject.
Conte also prefers to pick experienced players. He signed Perisic this summer on a free transfer as a backup player. In this transfer window, Eriksen’s free signing by Manchester United is also a huge success and smart business. So Conte’s signing of Kante may be a smart deal for the Tottenham Hotspur team.
