Chelsea are yet to find an agreement with N’Golo Kante to extend his contract, confirms Fabrizio Romano. This comes after it was reported that they were in an advanced situation to renew the deal, but talks do not seem to have progressed as hoped. The Frenchman’s current deal is said to be worth £290k-per-week.
Chelsea Face Blow in N’Golo Kante Contract Talks
N’Golo Kanté’s contract extension, not done yet — talks were very advanced in the last months but now the situation is unclear again. More contacts will take place. 🚨🔵 #CFC
Parties will talk in order to decide — there are more clubs keen on Kanté on a free, including Saudi. 🇸🇦 pic.twitter.com/77ObCdZeor
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) May 30, 2023
Chelsea to Make Last-Ditch Attempt to Keep Kante
The French midfielder endured a difficult campaign at Stamford Bridge, as he missed the majority of it and even the Qatar World Cup due to injury. He returned towards the end of the season but has not been able to agree on a new deal yet – despite recently voicing his desire to stay.
Romano states that even though extension talks were very advanced a few months ago, there is a sense of unclarity again here. He adds that more discussions will take place between the London club and Kante’s representatives to find a solution, but time is running out for the Blues.
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The update from Romano mentions that many clubs are interested in signing Kante as a free agent if he decides to run down his Chelsea contract, which includes clubs from Saudi Arabia too. The Frenchman was also reported to be a Barcelona target earlier this season, but it’s unclear if the La Liga champions are genuinely interested in signing him anymore.
Kante’s Decorated Career at Stamford Bridge Detailed
Ever since arriving from Premier League title-winning Leicester City in 2016, Kante has asserted himself as one of the most important players at Chelsea. He has been part of their Premier League and UEFA Champions League winning sides over the last seven years and put everything into his performances for him.
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The Frenchman, who has previously been described as a “monster“, has struggled with injuries in recent seasons. Irrespective of that, Kante still remains a valuable midfielder who can outrun and outwork many younger players and is the kind of personality new Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino would probably love in his dressing room. With that being said, it remains to be seen if the 32-year-old – who has made 269 appearances for the Blues in his career – can agree to a new deal before his contract expires on June 30 and he becomes a free agent on July 1.
