Al Nassr want to make Chelsea midfielder N’Golo Kante their next big signing after former Manchester United forward Cristiano Ronaldo, according to reports.
Ronaldo has been unveiled as an Al Nassr player after the early end to his second spell at Man Utd. His move there is a game-changing moment for the profile of the Saudi Professional League. And it seems his new club aren’t stopping there.
There have recently been claims that Al Nassr would like to add Kante to their squad. The France international is currently in the final six months of his contract at Chelsea.
He has barely featured this season due to injury issues. Therefore, there may be some concerns about extending his deal from a Chelsea viewpoint.
However, on his day, the dynamic midfielder has been one of the most reliable operators in his position in the Premier League. Therefore, Chelsea could yet try to talk him into staying at Stamford Bridge on updated terms.
Despite this, Kante could be listening to offers from elsewhere. According to Diario Sport, the two main candidates to take him away from Chelsea are Al Nassr and Barcelona.
The latter would allow him to continue his career in Europe, which seems to be his preference as things stand.
However, the report says Al Nassr could make an “astronomical” offer in terms of a salary for the 31-year-old.
Hence, Kante may be facing a choice between money and the technical level of the competition. That said, playing in the same team as Ronaldo isn’t something to be dismissed so easily.
A chance remains that Chelsea could tie Kante down, since Sport says talks are ongoing. The report claims, though, that it “seems clear that he wants to leave the Premier League”.
N’Golo Kante at career crossroads
Kante has played in England since 2015, when he joined Leicester City and helped them to a remarkable Premier League title.
His move to Chelsea came the following year. Since then, he has amassed more than 250 appearances for the club, winning six trophies.
Now, Kante is at a crossroads. Top clubs may have some concerns about his injury record, given that the dynamic aspects of his game are what has made him such an impactful player.
But Barcelona are always alert to options for free transfers, so Kante is on their radar. They won’t be putting any offer of their own on the table until they are sure themselves about his recovery, but know they might be his preferred destination.
Kante has never played in La Liga before, so it would be a new experience for him. He would also get to link up with former Chelsea teammates, Andreas Christensen and Marcos Alonso.
In summary, there are appealing aspects either way when Kante is considering the interest from Al Nassr and Barcelona. Staying at Chelsea could also have its benefits.
Thus, the player and all of his suitors will have some careful considerations to make in the coming months. But Al Nassr are certainly establishing themselves and seem to have made a strong move for the former Caen man.
SOURCE: teamtalk.com
