N’Golo Kante’s 2020/21 heroics will be rewarded greatly by Chelsea

Chelsea’s decided that N’Golo Kante deserves a fresh new deal with the club and that a potential summer exit is no longer an option and wasn’t one for a long while.

At this point last summer, Frank Lampard and Chelsea were rumoured to want to cut ties with what would later in the 2020/21 campaign become their most important player, N’Golo Kante.

The Blues had their sights locked in on one player and that player was the hot prospect, Declan Rice. There were tons of rumours rolling around that the West Londoners and the East Londoners were tied in negotiations for the potential transfer of the midfielder.

Time moved along swiftly and no transfer progress with the summer window eventually closing –but without a Kante exit and without a Rice intro.

N’Golo Kante the perfect no sale

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Little did the Blues know, the little Frenchman, small of stature but big of heart, was about to be their most important figure (again) in what is arguably the most important period of the campaign, the home stretch.

Despite offers from others and his Stamford Bridge situation in limbo, the player was still a constant figure in both Lampard and Thomas Tuchel’s starting XI.

With a bit of luck on his side and the untimely injury of Mateo Kovačić in the latter stages of last season, it left Tuchel with limited options in the midfielder – he only had N’Golo Kante to look to – probably the best second solution for any manager in Europe to be left with.

The 30-year-old went and did more than just fill in for Kovačić, who was enjoying a purple patch, but made it that Kovačić would not see consecutive starts again, despite being fit later.

One of the main reasons for Chelsea’s Champions League gold medal was N’Golo Kante

In Kante’s seven starts of 13 Champions League showings, he collected four Man of the Match awards during the knockout stages.

He received one award in Chelsea’s 2-0 win over Athletico Madrid in the round of 16, second leg. One in each of the victories over Real Madrid in the semi-finals. And then the granddaddy, the Champions League Final, against Premier League rivals Manchester City.

What makes it extra special in the last three UCL outings he won all three Man of the Match awards, back to back to back – how do you like that.

"N’Golo Kante was happy to stay at Chelsea last summer after the Blues rejected two bids for his services, and is looking to extend his spell at the club by agreeing a new contract over the next few months, according to reports.The two parties are set to begin talks over a new contract in the near future, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.It is claimed that negotiations will get underway inside the next few months, with neither Chelsea nor Kante looking to rush proceedings as their relationship is very strong. (Via: express.co.uk)"

This late brilliance has led to the Blues now wanting to keep him in West London for the rest of his best days. His last contract extension was back in 2018 where they got him to agree to a new five-year deal that expires in 2023.