Kante to sign two-year extension at Chelsea

Chelsea midfielder N’Golo Kante is expected to sign a two-year extension on his current deal at Stamford Bridge imminently, according to a fresh report.

The Lowdown: Kante’s future up in the air

The Frenchman has endured a frustrating 2022/23 season for the Blues, with injuries constantly robbing him of playing time under both Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter.

In fact, Kante has only managed to appear in two Premier League matches throughout the campaign, which are his only outings in all competitions.

At 31, there has been speculation surrounding the midfielder’s future at Chelsea, especially with his current deal expiring at the end of the current campaign.

Some reports have linked Kante with a move away from west London but a new update suggests that he could now be set to extend his stay with the Blues.

The Latest: Two-year extension ‘on the way’

According to Calciomercato, Kante is very likely to sign a new two-year deal at Chelsea ahead of the summer, with the official confirmation ‘on the way’.

Inter Milan and Juventus are noted as potential suitors to sign him in the report, hence the interest from the Italian media, but they fully expect to miss out.

The Verdict: Great news for Chelsea

This has to be considered positive news from a Chelsea perspective, with Kante still an important player even though injuries have clearly become an issue of late, once being hailed as ‘world-class’ by none other than Cesc Fabregas.

The 53-time capped Frenchman is such an experienced head, when fit, with his ability to cover ground so influential, too, and he averaged 2.5 tackles per game in the league in his two games this season.

Granted, Kante may no longer be considered a guaranteed starter for Chelsea, given his age and the fact that Enzo Fernandez has come in – more midfielders are also needed during the summer transfer window – but he can continue to be a great asset for another two years, at which point an exit will make sense.

This is someone with two Premier League titles to his name, not to mention one World Cup and Champions League apiece, and he also won the PFA Player of the Year and Footballer of the Year awards back in 2016/17.

Some may feel that offering an extension to an injury-prone figure is a needless risk, but Kante could remain so important upon his return, proving to be a great foil for the younger players around him.