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By Martin Graham | 28th Apr 2023
Chelsea are about to lose another key player and this time around, to Arsenal after reports emerged of N’Golo Kante saying yes to Arsenal’s offer to him.
The 32-year-old joined Chelsea from Leicester City in 2016 after playing a key role in Leicester City’s miraculous 2015/16 Premier League title win. The signing has worked very well for both parties, especially for Kante, who went on to seal a spot in the France national team squad and has gone on to dominate European football and won the 2018 World Cup.
That partnership looks to be coming to an end, however, thanks to negotiations over the midfielder’s extended stay at Stamford Bridge hitting a roadblock. The former Caen man is believed to be interested in remaining at the club but it is unclear what their intentions are towards him.
This has led him to asking his representatives to seek out options for him, prioritising a stay in London as opposed to leaving England totally for Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain, who also showed interest in him.
Reports suggested that Mikel Arteta asked Arsenal to go after Kante, putting forward the argument that he does not have a midfielder with his profile in his current squad.
Kante is a player who is a traditional workhorse. He has excellent box-to-box ability and is adept at ball carrying from deep into the final third. Arteta wants that in his side and has asked that Edu Gaspar, Arsenal’s technical director, make an offer to the 32-year-old’s people.
Kante reportedly said yes to the offer and this has sent a bit of panic down the spine of the Chelsea boardroom staff. They initially stalled because of his recent injury struggles but his reported “Yes” to Arsenal’s offer has made them sit up.
Arsenal, on the other hand, will be continuing their tradition of picking up players who have given their all to Chelsea. Jorginho is their most recent signing after the UEFA European Championship winner made the switch in January 2023 from Stamford Bridge to the Emirates.
In recent seasons, they got David Luiz and Willian. Before these two, they had the legendary Petr Cech, William Gallas, Yossi Benayoun, and a few others.
Kante will make a great addition to Arsenal but it is unlikely that the team will pay his full demanded wages. Arteta, on the other hand, will hope that Kante’s signing, should it happen, will not be a bust like Willian’s was or David Luiz’s was with those memories still fresh in the minds of Arsenal fans.
Martin Graham is an MFF sports writer
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