Talks between N'Golo Kante and Chelsea regarding an extension to his current contract are progressing well, football.london understands.
Kante, who turned 32 today (Wednesday), sees his contract with the Blues expire at the end of the season but talks are understood to be advanced between the two parties, with the Frenchman set to extend his stay.
There was interest from Paris Saint-Germain in the France international's signature but the midfielder wants to stay with Chelsea, the club he has been with since signing from Leicester City for around £30million almost seven years ago.
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Chelsea and Graham Potter recognise Kante's significance to the squad, despite the midfielder playing just 175 minutes of first-team football this season after suffering a serious hamstring injury in the side's second game of the campaign against Tottenham in August.
Kante is yet to play any type of football under Potter, who was appointed as head coach in September, but was included in the matchday squad to face Everton before the two-week international break got underway.
The Blues and Kante will want to get the contract situation done and dusted before the end of the season so both can have a clear focus in their minds in the summer. Fortunately, talks are progressing well so it could be resolved sooner rather than later.
Why Kante is so important to Chelsea
The Paris-born Boulogne academy graduate is a truly unique footballer. He's like nothing we've ever seen in England. That much was clear to see when he was winning the most unexpected Premier League title of all time with Leicester in 2016.
In that historic season, Kante had managed 175 tackles – 21 more than any player in the league – and 157 interceptions, which is 15 more than anyone else. So in 2016 when Chelsea ended up going all out for the Frenchman, it was hardly a surprise.
Kante initially signed a five-year contract with the club but the way he seamlessly fitted in at Stamford Bridge saw him earn another five-year deal in November 2018. Playing under four managers during his time in west London, Kante has played a significant role under all of them. Potter is his fifth manager and he will be desperate to do the same with the 47-year-old.
The France midfielder's strengths are clearly on the physical side of the game when it comes to running and winning the ball back. It's how he's made a name for himself in England but he is so much more than that. He possesses a really high footballing IQ that isn't matched by many in his position around the world.
It's the knowing when to do things; knowing when to step up, when to press the ball, when to release it. It's these things that make Kante stand out more than most. It's these things that Potter will be hoping he can reproduce when he finally comes back into the first-team.
Just think how important Kante was to Chelsea in 2021 when they won their second-ever Champions League. The Frenchman was the man that made them function. His display in the final against Manchester City in Porto was one of the best individual performances we will ever see at that stage in such a prestigious competition.
There is an issue, though, and something the club will have been keeping a close eye on when negotiating with Kante and his entourage over an extension. His age and the recent injury problems.
As mentioned, the two-time Premier League-winning midfielder is now 32. There isn't scope to give him another five-year contract, especially because of how often he has been injured in recent seasons.
Kante has missed seven months of football this season with one injury that required surgery. Last season, it was a bit different. It wasn't a long-term injury as such but more consistent short-term problems with his muscles that saw him miss plenty of matches.
He is undoubtedly still so significant and crucial to this Chelsea side – that's why the club are desperate to extend his stay beyond his current contract's expiration date. He is a generational footballer that has helped deliver many supporters' dreams at Chelsea. They will want – and I cannot emphasise that enough – to see more of that in the next couple of seasons.
So, happy birthday to you, N'Golo! Have a great day and, yeah, sign the thing.
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