Chelsea has completed the signing of France international N’Golo Kante on a Five-year-deal for a fee believed to be in the region of £30m which will see the former Leicester City star take up a midfield role at Chelsea.
Kante, who was named in last season’s PFA Premier League team of the year, has revealed his delight after signing for Chelsea as he appears to be keen on hitting the ground running once the new season begins in August.
The 25-year-old midfielder was an integral part of the Leicester City side that clinched the Premier League title in the recently concluded season.
Last season, Kante’s work rate was second to none as he ran every blade of grass for Leicester City in a bid to support the team in all areas of the pitch.
He’s expected to have a similar effect at Chelsea with the London outfit looking to bounce back stronger next term following a horrendous Premier League campaign last time out.
Kante has already expressed his desire to work under Antonio Conte, a manager who upholds the core values of the old Italian catenaccio style of play.
Conte is somewhat of a combination of the modern day manager and the coaches of old as he builds his teams up from the back while still stressing the importance of having quality players up front who can create chances and score goals when necessary. The new boss at Stamford Bridge can be likened to former AC Milan boss Arrigo Sacchi, who set the pace for the rise of attacking football in Italy.
Kante’s arrival at Chelsea could have a detrimental effect on Nemanja Matic’s place in the team as the Serbian could be axed from the first-team squad in a bid to create space for Kante to ply his trade.
Both players play the same position and perform similar roles in the middle of the park, although judging by what we saw last season, Kante is arguably the more effective midfielder.
Cesc Fabregas’s place in the team also appears to be under threat due to Kante’s arrival as Antonio Conte doesn’t seem keen on making use of a system which would feature a number 10 role leaving the players to battle for limited slots in the heart of Chelsea’s midfield.
What Effect Could Kante Have At Chelsea
Antonio Conte refused to reveal his preferred tactical set-up ahead of next season in a recent press conference, although judging by his track record, the former Juve boss could adopt a midfield-oriented style of play that will see the team operate without a number 10.
In that instance, Kante will play the role of a box-to-box midfielder who helps out in defence and also contributes to attacking moves in a similar manner as Paris Saint Germain’s Blaise Matuidi.
Kante made 175 tackles in the Premier League and 156 interceptions (more tackles and interceptions than any other player). Chelsea fans will be hoping that Kante can replicate those stats for them next season.
Apart from his tenacity, Kante also possesses great pace and technique which he uses to dash past players from all angles on the pitch.
Kante is an immensely talented footballer who will fit in quite nicely at Chelsea. He’s got one full season of Premier League experience under his belt which is a very decisive factor as inexperienced players tend to make costly mistakes due to the League’s unforgiving nature.
The France international will link up with either Matic or Fabregas more prominently in midfield, with either of the two likely to be relegated to the bench.
Kante is expected to be a mainstay in Chelsea’s midfield and judging by his tremendous qualities; he might just prove to be a panacea to Chelsea’s title challenge.