N’Golo Kante has been linked with a move away from Chelsea quite a few times over the last 12 months and it has been reported that he has a problem with Frank Lampard.
Can we imagine N’Golo Kante having a problem with, well, anyone!?
According to a report from Le Parisien, Kante and Lampard had a row over the Chelsea and France midfielder not being allowed to miss training to attend the wedding of a friend earlier this month. The report goes on to state that Kante wants to join Real Madrid in the next 12 months.
Kante, 29, has been consistently linked with moves to Manchester United, Real Madrid and Inter Milan but Chelsea have said the story isn’t true and it is believed that Lampard and Kante have a great relationship.
Lampard previously allowed Kante compassionate leave as he wasn’t sure about returning to training during the first few months of the COVID-19 pandemic.
It seems like this story may have been overblown but it is pretty strange that these reports keep cropping up, though.
Kante keeps being linked with a move away from Chelsea, even though he’s playing well and seems very settled after arriving from Leicester City in 2016 and has a contract until the summer of 2023.
Chelsea cannot afford to lose Kante who mops up so many problems in front of their defensive unit and they’d struggle even more if the Frenchman moved on, and that’s something Lampard knows all too well.
Is there perhaps a smidgen of truth to this? Who knows. Even someone as lovely as Kante could be upset about a situation here and there but it is likely this has been blown out of proportion.
However, Chelsea probably have to start planning for life after Kante and Lampard will already have a few holding midfield targets in mind (ahem, Declan Rice). Selling Kante to Real Madrid or Inter Milan in the summer of 2021 means they will receive top dollar for him as he will have two years left on his contract.
Selling Kante for close to $100 million and bringing in Rice, 21, for a similar price would be very good business for Chelsea.
Chelsea deny Kante to leave after reported Lampard spat originally appeared on NBCSports.com