Chelsea are not close to tying N'Golo Kante down to a new long-term contract, according to Fabrizio Romano.

How long does Kante have left on his current deal at Chelsea?

Kante has now spent over five years at Stamford Bridge after joining Chelsea back in July 2016. However, perhaps surprisingly given his form the club, he has not signed a contract extension since 2018.

The Frenchman is now into the final two years of his current deal, with his contract set to expire in June 2023.

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What has Romano said about Chelsea potentially offering Kante a new contract?

Romano has insisted that Chelsea are happy with what Kante brings to the table. He has revealed that they have not discussed an extension with him yet, though, as they are instead prioritising sorting out long-term deals for Andreas Christensen and Antonio Rudiger, who are out of contract next summer.

Explaining the situation on The Here We Go Podcast, Romano said: “Many people asking about his contract, if it’s agreed if it’s done. At the moment, no. At the moment, it’s not something they’re discussing with Kante. He’s one of the names they have on the list to talk about a contract, but it’s not agreed yet, it’s not at advanced stages yet.

“They’re really happy with Kante and they will talk about it, but now the focus is Christensen, it’s Rudiger, as they need to resolve the situation and then they will see for Kante and Jorginho what happens.”

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How important is it for Chelsea to extend Kante's contract?

It's vital.

Right now, it makes sense that Chelsea are keen to come to agreements with Christensen and Rudiger first given that their contracts are up before Kante's. Still, they must not take their eye off the ball with Kante. 

The midfielder is a world-class operator who has won almost every trophy available to him, including the World Cup in 2018 and the Champions League earlier this year.

He may have turned 30 back in March but he has shown no signs of slowing down, and has been a crucial part of the team's success since Thomas Tuchel took charge at the start of 2021.

There is no need for Chelsea to panic with regards to Kante's contract situation at the moment, but they should look to get the 50-cap international to sign on the dotted line sooner rather than later.

Otherwise, they could be left in a precarious position if they allow him to enter the final year of his contract without a new deal in place.