According to a recent report by Don Balon, Real Madrid’s Eden Hazard and Thibaut Courtois want their former Chelsea teammate N’Golo Kante to make a switch to the Spanish capital. The same source has claimed that Los Blancos boss Zinedine Zidane has identified the France international as an ideal candidate to play in his midfield after he missed out on Manchester United’s Paul Pogba during the recently concluded summer transfer window.
Kante’s Remarkable Career At Stamford Bridge
Kante is widely regarded as one of the best defensive midfielders in European football. Hence, it is no surprise that both Hazard and Courtois want him at Madrid so they can challenge for the UEFA Champions League crown this season.
The French midfield ace was played out of position by Chelsea’s former boss Maurizio Sarri last season, but he still managed to impress when operating as a box to box midfielder which goes to show how valuable he has been for the Pensioners in the recent past.
Kante has featured in three matches for Chelsea but is yet to open his goal-scoring account for this campaign. The 28-year-old had a fantastic season in the previous term when he appeared in 53 matches for the Pensioners, scoring five goals while creating four assists on all fronts. On the defensive end, he made an average of 2.1 tackles, 1.2 interceptions and 0.7 clearances per game in the English top-flight last season (stats via whoscored).
What Does The France International Offer On The Field?
Kante can read the game well and positions himself in the right areas to make tackles and intercept possession for his team. He is also full of energy and running at the centre of the park and can be a menace for the opposition when he is pressing them high up the pitch.
Why The Pensioners Should Not Sanction Kante’s Departure
Losing a player of Kante’s defensive prowess will be a massive blow for the Pensioners. Therefore, they should not consider letting him leave just yet. Frank Lampard needs to find a way to keep the French workhorse at West London if he wants his side to compete for major trophies in the coming years.
With Chelsea currently serving out their transfer ban, Lampard cannot afford to lose a player of Kante’s ilk especially when he won’t be allowed to bring in a suitable replacement. Losing the Frenchman could turn out to be a catastrophic mistake by Chelsea in the short-term.
