In a recent report, Sport mentioned that Barcelona are eager to recruit Al-Ittihad midfielder N’Golo Kante this summer. It has been stated that the Catalan club are eyeing a move to secure the services of the France international in this transfer window.
Kante’s Impressive Form For Both His Club And Country
Kante put in a series of impressive displays at the centre of Al-Ittihad’s midfield last season. The French midfielder was involved in 44 matches for the Saudi club in the previous campaign, scoring four goals and grabbing six assists in multiple competitions.
The 33-year-old served as an important member of the French national team as he averaged 2.0 tackles, 1.0 interceptions, 0.8 clearances, 0.8 shots, 1.7 key passes and 0.7 dribbles per game in the UEFA Euro 2024. He was even tidy with his ball distribution after making 89.7% of his attempted passes during the competition (stats via whoscored).
Kante is under contract at the Saudi club until the summer of 2026. Thus, it won’t be easy for Barcelona to get a deal done for him this month.
Should Barcelona Boss Hansi Flick Move In For Kante?
Kante is a tough-tackling midfielder who can sense the danger well to make some timely interceptions for his team at the centre of the park. He usually clears his lines when required and can strike the ball with venom from long range.
The France international can orchestrate some decent chances for his teammates in the final third and is a good dribbler with the ball. He is primarily a holding midfielder but can also operate as a box-to-box midfielder if asked to do so.
We can expect Kante to add more quality to Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick’s midfield department. He is good enough to help the Catalan outfit compete across all fronts in the short term.
Kante has got a wealth of experience at the highest level. At 33, he might still have a few good seasons left in him to play at a high level. Therefore, Flick would be wise to move in for him before the end of this transfer window. However, there are some concerns over whether Kante can make a smooth transition to life in Spain.
