N'Golo Kante is reportedly not accepting Chelsea's new contract offer to keep the French midfielder at Stamford Bridge beyond the end of his current deal.
According to The Athletic, Chelsea's new owners tabled a verbal offer to renew Kante's deal for two years, with the option of adding a third. However, the 31-year-old desires a longer deal.
Kante, like his midfield peer Jorginho, is into the final year of his contract that expires next summer. As we saw with Antonio Rudiger and Andreas Christensen last season, the uncertainty over both dominated a large portion of the season, eventually seeing the club forced to act in the market to replace them.
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Although Chelsea's old regime reportedly was discussing a longer deal with Kante of three years, with the option of adding a fourth. The club's new hierarchy is concerned over his consistent injury record, already missing five of seven games so far this season following several seasons of injury worries.
Kante has undeniably been one of the club's most successful transfers. Since joining from Leicester City in the summer of 2016 for around £30m before going on to win a Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, Europa League, UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup with the Blues.
As was the case when Thomas Tuchel replaced Frank Lampard in January of 2021, all player's futures are potentially up in the air with the change in head coach as Graham Potter takes charge. It already seems apparent Chelsea are looking to the future in central midfield, with Ajax's Edson Alvarez a target who could be revised in the January window.
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