Chelsea are confident that midfielder N'Golo Kante will ignore Paris Saint-Germain and remain at the club in a late twist to his contract saga.
What does the future hold for N'Golo Kante?
The future of the £290k-p/w 31-year-old has been up in the air for some time, especially with his current Blues contract expiring at the end of this season. He has endured an extremely frustrating campaign to date, with injuries restricting him to just two appearances in the Premier League.
Some reports have suggested that Kante could look for a fresh challenge during the summer transfer window, with a move to PSG something that has been mooted. It would represent a move to his homeland of France, which could appeal to him during the autumn of his career.
However, Fabrizio Romano revealed earlier this week that the player is on the verge of signing a contract extension. Now, yet another update has emerged on the situation, claiming it's not done just yet and the Blues are still fending off the Parisians.
What are PSG up to?
According to 90min, Chelsea remain "confident" that they will be able to keep hold of Kante this summer but PSG have "remained in contact". The Premier League outfit are close to wrapping things up, but the Ligue 1 giants are not going away until the final whistle blows and the extension is confirmed.
The midfielder has always reportedly considered the Blues his priority, proving to be happy living in London still, and while PSG have certainly not given up hope of getting their man, it looks like they'd need to offer him monster wages to change his mind.
This is still good news for Chelsea, with Kante a true modern-day great at the club, having racked up 262 appearances to date and won one Premier League and Champions League title apiece, as well as the Footballer of the Year award in 2017. While injuries have clearly plagued him of late and he isn't getting any younger, he remains an influential figure who will hopefully stay on for a few more years.
Kante's vast experience could be invaluable for someone like Enzo Fernandez, allowing him to learn from a master in his position, also ensuring that there is a healthy mix of young and old in Graham Potter's squad moving forward. The positives clearly outweigh the negatives when it comes to him signing a new deal – Cesc Fabregas has hailed him as a 'world-class' player in the past – with his tackling tenacity and expert reading of play so influential down the years.
PSG have no issue shelling out huge salaries to players, but hopefully Kante is happy to stay put for a another couple of years at least.
