Chelsea are ‘seriously considering’ several factors when it comes to contract negotiations with midfielder N’Golo Kante, according to journalist Simon Phillips.
The 31-year-old has entered the final 12 months of his £290,000-per-week contract at Stamford Bridge and is yet to agree terms on a new deal with the club’s hierarchy.
What is the latest news involving Phillips?
David Ornstein of The Athletic recently reported that Kante has asked for a three-year deal with the option to extend his stay by a further 12 months.
However, the Chelsea hierarchy have only offered the France international fresh terms consisting of two years with a one-year option, leading to talks reaching an impasse between the relevant parties.
There are a lot of factors at play when it comes to Kante’s proposed new contract, though, with the former Blues boss Thomas Tuchel previously admitting his fitness problems are a key factor.
“Yes,” Tuchel said when asked if the World Cup winner’s injury record will have a bearing on his contract situation. “You have to consider everything that is on the table.
“And on the table is his potential, on the table is his influence and his quality. But on the table of course is his age, his salary, and his injury rate, of course.”
What has Phillips said about Kante?
Tuchel did also go on to label Kante a ‘key player’, and his world-class ability is not really up for debate when he is available and at full fitness.
But Phillips has informed GiveMeSport that the decision makers at the west London outfit are having to contemplate multiple factors in the negotiations.
He said: “Chelsea, I think, at the moment are seriously considering that injury history and the more recent evidence of him being very injury prone. So, it's a situation there that needs to be sorted out.”
How big a loss would Kante be?
Kante has reportedly missed 71 games through injury since arriving from Leicester City for £30 million back in 2016.
Nevertheless, the diminutive dynamo has played a key role in collecting one Champions League crown, one Premier League title, one FA Cup, one Europa League, one League Cup, one FIFA Club World Cup and one UEFA Super Cup in that time.
And Kante’s underlying numbers over the last year show that he is still making a telling contribution when he’s available for selection.
As per FBref, he has ranked in the 95th percentile for progressive carries, 92nd for progressive passes received and completed dribbles, 91st for shot-creating actions, 85th for progressive passes, and 83rd for interceptions amongst his positional peers.
If Chelsea can keep Kante fit, then new boss Graham Potter will have an elite midfielder at his disposal, but that task has proved beyond them in recent years and is showing no signs of changing.