N’Golo Kante has rejected a new contract offer from Chelsea, wants a greater duration
According to The Athletic (Subscription Required), N’Golo Kante has rejected the new contract offer from Chelsea, which was verbally tabled by the club back in August. The French World Cup winner wants greater duration in this new contract.
Kante has entered the final 12 months of his contract at Stamford Bridge. So, if nothing happens on the extension front in the next few months, the player could leave for free next summer.
There have been talks of the 31-year-old’s contract extension since 2021, with the previous regime offering him a three-year deal, with an option to extend for another year.
However, with the American takeover in the summer, they verbally offered the midfielder a two-year extension, with an option for the third. The player is unwilling to accept that as he wants greater duration.
Kante has valid reasons to ask for this because 33-year-old striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who was signed on the deadline day of the summer transfer window, was given a three-year deal. Meanwhile, another new signing Kalidou Koulibaly, who is of the same age as the Frenchman, has signed a four-year contract.
Former manager Thomas Tuchel did point out that the midfielder’s injury rate in the last year or so has made him a doubt for constant availability throughout the season.
Talking about this campaign, Kante has been out injured since the Tottenham Hotspur game having picked up a hamstring injury. The dilemma for Chelsea is that they look a much better outfit when the Frenchman plays. So, letting him run his contract down and leave for free would be a catastrophic decision.
Despite his injury concerns, the Blues have to keep in mind that the 31-year-old is their best midfielder. Hence, even if he plays, say 65% of the games in a season, they would be very good in those games because of his presence.
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So, the club needs to think twice before stuttering to offer a new contract that suits the demands of Kante.