Journalist Fabrizio Romano through Caught Offside has claimed that N’Golo Kante has always prioritized staying at Chelsea and is in talks over a new deal with the Blues, which is likely to come as a setback for Barcelona.
Kante is in the final six months of his Chelsea contract, and because negotiations for a new contract have so far not gone as planned, there have been rumors about his future.
The position of the Frenchman had caught Barcelona’s attention, and it is believed that Mateu Alemany, the club’s director, had been actively pursuing his signature.
It is no secret that the Catalans are looking for a defensive midfielder since club captain Sergio Busquets’ future is up in the air. Kante is also seen to be a more affordable choice because he might become a free agent in the summer.
However, David Ornstein of The Athletic claimed last week that the 31-year-old was expected to sign new contracts with Chelsea. The midfielder had always prioritized staying at Chelsea and in the Premier League, according to Romano, who backed up those claims.
“Chelsea and the Premier League have always been N’Golo Kante’s top priorities. The situation is now again open because Kante is currently in negotiations with Chelsea on new terms, according to Romano.
“A few months ago, everything appeared to be really complicated, but things have changed. With Kante, Barcelona and Al Nassr have never reached an agreement; instead, there was merely regular interest, but the situation is now open.
Busquets’ decision to extend his contract with Barcelona is still up in the air, despite Xavi’s best efforts to persuade him to do so. Regardless, the Catalans will need to add a new defensive midfielder to the team to give the position depth and quality.
Given his track record of success, Kante would have been a fantastic acquisition for Barça. However, it now appears that the FIFA World Cup champion may decide to remain at Chelsea.
