Why N’Golo Kante rejected Chelsea contract offer as two Premier League clubs interested

N’Golo Kante joined Chelsea from Leicester City in 2016 for around £32m.

The Frenchman has since proven himself as one of the best defensive midfielders in the world, helping Chelsea win the Premier League, Champions League, Europa League and Club World Cup.

However, Kante is now 31 years of age and injuries are catching up with him. He has already missed six games for Chelsea in 2022/23. And over the course of last campaign, he had six separate issues that saw him sidelined.

And it is these injury woes that are causing Chelsea a problem. Kante is out of contract in west London next summer, meaning he could sign a pre-contract agreement with foreign clubs from January.

But whilst losing Kante would be a massive blow, the club are having a hard time agreeing terms with the Frenchman.

As per The Athletic, unless there is progress in talks over an extension, Kante will depart as a free agent next summer.

Conversations have been taking place since 2021 and the previous regime were proposing fresh terms spanning three years — plus the option of a fourth — prior to all negotiations halting when the UK government imposed sanctions on Roman Abramovich, which heavily impacted Chelsea.

Now though, Todd Boehly and co. are understood to have tabled a verbal offer to renew Kante’s deal for two years, with the option of adding a third.

However, Kante is unwilling to accept this and would be looking for a greater duration.

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