Chelsea have three N'Golo Kante transfer replacements after £172m deal agreed
It appears that N'Golo Kante is on the verge of leaving Chelsea this summer, as he recently underwent a medical with Saudi Arabian side Al Ittihad. The 32-year-old Frenchman is set to join his compatriot Karim Benzema in the Middle East after agreeing to a £172 million contract. As a result, Chelsea will need to find a suitable replacement for Kante in their squad.
Even though Kante missed a significant portion of the 2022/23 season due to injury, his departure will still be a significant blow to Chelsea. Manager Mauricio Pochettino had already expressed his desire to sign a new central midfielder, as reported by football.london last month. However, now it seems that Chelsea will need to consider bringing in at least two midfield additions to fill the void left by Kante.
One potential option for Pochettino is Romeo Lavia. Another option is Khephren Thuram, who has been impressing with OGC Nice in France and has been linked with a move to the Premier League. Although Liverpool has shown interest in Thuram, Chelsea could view him as a suitable replacement for Kante. The 22-year-old featured in 46 matches for Nice last season, primarily playing as a defensive midfielder or box-to-box midfielder. His physicality and technical abilities make him a potential partner for Enzo Fernandez in Chelsea's midfield, and he could be available for a fee around £40 million.
Another candidate is Manu Kone, who previously expressed his openness to leaving Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) to pursue regular playing time. Pochettino would need to have a clear plan on how to incorporate Kone into the squad, assessing whether the 22-year-old is capable of stepping into Kante's role in the first team. While Kone has acknowledged PSG's interest, he emphasized that his priority is to play, whether it's for PSG or another club.
In conclusion, Chelsea are facing the task of finding a suitable replacement for N'Golo Kante following his imminent departure to Al Ittihad. Pochettino will need to navigate the transfer market to identify midfield options that can fill the void left by Kante. The likes of Romeo Lavia, Khephren Thuram, and Manu Kone have been mentioned as potential candidates, each bringing their own strengths and attributes to the midfield position. Chelsea's decision-makers will need to carefully consider their options and find the best fit to partner Enzo Fernandez in their midfield setup.
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