---
title: "Flashback: N’Golo Kante continues to show Chelsea how valuable he is to them"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/flashback-ngolo-kante-continues-to-show-chelsea-how-valuable-he-is-to-them/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Alex Ford"
section: "Chelsea Football Club"
published: "2019-09-26T21:10:09Z"
modified: "2019-09-26T21:10:09Z"
---

# Flashback: N’Golo Kante continues to show Chelsea how valuable he is to them

**In our latest instalment of the *Flashback* series, we take a look back at a certain moment and look at how things might have changed those initial reactions.**

When Chelsea signed N’Golo Kante from Leicester City for a transfer fee [believed](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36806454) to be in the region of £30m in the summer of 2016, many would have felt it was a steal at the time, however the France international has continued to impress and star in the middle of the Blues’ side.

Having impressed for the Foxes in his one season at the King Power Stadium with figures of 4.7 tackles, 4.2 interceptions and 1.5 clearances in the 37 games he played on their way to the Premier League title (per [WhoScored](https://www.whoscored.com/Players/114075/History/N-Golo-Kant%C3%A9)), it was, perhaps, quite understandable as to why those in SW6 were extremely excited about what they were getting.

Here are just some of the reactions those fans had at the time…

> [@nglkante](https://twitter.com/nglkante?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) our most important signing since we signed [@hazardeden10](https://twitter.com/hazardeden10?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)
>
> — Claudius Thomas (@443Claudius) [July 16, 2016](https://twitter.com/443Claudius/status/754318626535112704?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

> [@nglkante](https://twitter.com/nglkante?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) MAKELELE 2.0
>
> — R (@Legedenary) [July 16, 2016](https://twitter.com/Legedenary/status/754318393638084608?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

> [@nglkante](https://twitter.com/nglkante?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) WE’RE GONNA WIN THE LEAGUE LADS
>
> — Greg Lee (@greglee91) [July 16, 2016](https://twitter.com/greglee91/status/754318828914503680?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

> [@nglkante](https://twitter.com/nglkante?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) best dm in the world
>
> — Matt (@\_mattbrown10) [July 16, 2016](https://twitter.com/_mattbrown10/status/754318393247932416?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

> such brilliant news! [@ChelseaFC](https://twitter.com/ChelseaFC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)
>
> — Wa Mwachofi (@mwashigadi\_) [July 17, 2016](https://twitter.com/mwashigadi_/status/754587803997114368?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

> [@nglkante](https://twitter.com/nglkante?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) Get in!!
>
> — ManLikeCesc (@FabregasPass) [July 16, 2016](https://twitter.com/FabregasPass/status/754318379410944005?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

The defensive midfielder has become a star for the Blues as he enters the fourth year of his Stamford Bridge tenure and he has continued to show his importance and significance to Frank Lampard’s side with his recent performances – something the manager highlighted following the defeat to Liverpool in the Super Cup.

As quoted by [The London Evening Standard](https://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/chelsea/chelsea-fc-frank-lampard-proud-machine-ngolo-kante-super-cup-unlucky-liverpool-a4213586.html), he said: “Kante is an amazing player, amazing character. He’s a machine on the football field. He hasn’t trained much, had a swollen ankle two days ago, but he was desperate to play and you saw what he gave to the team today. He will be hugely important. I am delighted to work with him.”

Indeed, he stepped up against Liverpool once again in their most recent encounter in the Premier League, whereby he scored the Blues’ only goal of the game and appeared to have a stormer of a game – [WhoScored](https://www.whoscored.com/Matches/1375994/LiveStatistics/England-Premier-League-2019-2020-Chelsea-Liverpool) gave him a 7.76 match rating, which was the best of anyone involved in the match.

There is no doubting that Kante is crucial to Chelsea and, arguably, has become the club’s most important player following Eden Hazard’s summer departure to Real Madrid, although, admittedly, the duo offer different things on the pitch.

The France World Cup winner has seen his game go up another level with each year that passes (taking just the Premier League competition into consideration). In 2016/17, the 28-year-old managed to achieve an average of [3.6 tackles, 2.4 interceptions and 1.2 clearances](https://www.whoscored.com/Players/114075/History/N-Golo-Kant%C3%A9) every game he was involved in.

2017/18 saw Kante produce an incredible [3.3 tackles, 2.5 interceptions and 0.8 clearances](https://www.whoscored.com/Players/114075/History/N-Golo-Kant%C3%A9) in the 34 outings he had in Antonio Conte’s final year in charge of the SW6 outfit.

In 2018/19, he managed to record an average of [2.1 tackles per match](https://www.whoscored.com/Players/114075/History/N-Golo-Kant%C3%A9) in his 36 Premier League appearances last season, as well as [1.2 interceptions](https://www.whoscored.com/Players/114075/History/N-Golo-Kant%C3%A9), although he was largely played out of position under Maurizio Sarri.

Indeed, there have been comparisons between him and compatriot Claude Makelele and it would not be hard to suggest those are warranted, despite [Football BH](https://footballbh.net/2019/02/23/claude-makelele-ngolo-kante-chelsea-tactical-analysis-statistics/) claiming it ‘lazy’ whilst the ex-Blue did not agree with them either ([Reuters](https://uk.reuters.com/) via the [Independent](https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/chelsea-claude-makelele-ngolo-kante-is-not-as-good-as-him-a7771191.html)).

The former Chelsea man managed to achieve an exceptional success rate of 82% when making a tackle when in Premier League action, making 55 interceptions and providing the Blues with 99 clearances whilst he never made an error that led to a goal being scored ([official Premier League website](https://www.premierleague.com/players/2454/Claude-Makelele/stats)).

Chelsea, essentially, stole Kante away from Leicester for £30m, however he has continued to show just how important of a player he is to the Stamford Bridge outfit and it turned out to be a very clever piece of business by Marina Granovskaia, Roman Abramovich and co.

***Chelsea fans, how important has Kante become since signing from Leicester? Let us know your thoughts by sharing them in the comments section below!***