(Football News) The departure of N’Golo Kante from Chelsea is imminent, and its impact may be equally significant for Arsenal as it is for their London rivals.
N’Golo Kante has attained an iconic status in the Premier League, highlighted by his pivotal role in Leicester City’s remarkable title triumph in the 2015/16 season. This achievement led to N’golo Kante’s transfer to London for a fee of £32 million. Once again, N’Golo Kante played a crucial role as Chelsea clinched the top position, making him the first player since Eric Cantona in 1993 to win consecutive league titles with different clubs in England.
During N’Golo Kante’s time at Stamford Bridge, the 32-year-old midfielder has achieved success in various prestigious competitions, including the Champions League, Europa League, FA Cup, and European Super Cup. Additionally, he was part of the French national team that triumphed in the 2018 World Cup. However, following an injury-ridden season in 2022/23,N’Golo Kante is now poised to join Cristiano Ronaldo and his teammates in Saudi Arabia, as he has been presented with a lucrative financial offer.
The prominent player is nearing the finalization of his contract negotiations with Al Ittihad. The proposed agreement is for a duration of two years and is reported to be valued at £86 million per year. This development coincides with Real Madrid legend Karim Benzema’s recent announcement of his own move to the Middle East.
As a result of the Kante situation, it is inevitable that Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino will intensify his pursuit of Brighton’s Moises Caicedo. The Ecuadorian midfielder holds a valuation of over £80 million by his current club, the Seagulls, who are now in a stronger negotiating position after he signed a new contract in January.
While Arsenal has reportedly reached a personal agreement with Caicedo, no transfer has been finalized, and Chelsea is also preparing a bid for the talented player. Despite not being able to offer Champions League football, Chelsea’s financial resources and potential willingness to engage in a player swap deal could pose a significant challenge for Arsenal.
In response to a lackluster 2022/23 season that resulted in their lowest league finish since 1993/94 (12th place), Pochettino has initiated a squad overhaul. Alongside the anticipated departures of Mateo Kovacic and Mason Mount, there is a noticeable void in the midfield that Caicedo seems ideally suited to fill.
If such a situation were to occur, it would undoubtedly be perceived as a significant setback for Mikel Arteta and his team, as the Spanish manager seeks to strengthen his squad. Moreover, it would intensify the pressure on Arteta’s pursuit of West Ham standout Declan Rice.
Similar to Caicedo, the English midfielder has been identified as a target by Arteta. However, Arteta faces competition yet again, this time from Bayern Munich. Rice is expected to feature in his last match for West Ham on Wednesday, as they compete against Fiorentina in the final of the Europa Conference League.
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