Chelsea midfielder N’Golo Kante is nearing a pre-contract agreement with Barcelona with the France international out of contract in the summer, according to SPORT.
Kante’s current contract with the Blues will expire in June, having signed a new five-year deal to stay at Stamford Bridge until 2023.
The 31-year-old has been hampered by injuries in the last two seasons, and has made only two appearances this term for Graham Potter’s side.
According to The Athletic, Chelsea’s new owners led by Todd Boehly tabled an offer to renew Kante’s deal for two years, with the option of adding a third. However, the Frenchman prefers a longer deal.
It is believed Kante sees his future elsewhere and wants a new challenge after leaving his mark in the English Premier League.
Goodbye to a legend?
Kante, who is considered by many to be one of the world’s best midfielders, is widely praised for his work rate and defensive acumen.
He is currently value at £26m [€30m] by Transfermarkt, however, it looks likely he will leave Chelsea for free in the summer.
Kante was a key cog of the Leicester City team that surprisingly became Premier League champions in 2016. His inspired performance for the Foxes saw him being linked with a move to several clubs but he opted to join Chelsea and again won the league, making him the first outfield player to win consecutive English league titles with different clubs.
Kante is currently recovering from a hamstring operation and is expected to return to action in February.
Barcelona are looking to revamp their midfield option with the experience Kante despite having Gavi and Pedri – two of the most promising midfielders in the world.
Skipper Sergio Busquets is nearing the end of his career and at age 34, the former Spain international is expected to give way for the energetic and hard working Kante to run the Barca midfield for the next few years.
Frenkie de Jong’s future is still uncertain, hence the need for the La Liga side to go all out and get their No.1 midfield target.
Read more: Report: Chelsea want to sign fantastic £45m Real Madrid target in January
