Juventus finally set to sign Chelsea’s midfield powerhouse as first January transfer target

Juventus are the latest club to express interest in signing N’Golo Kante, whose situation at Chelsea is deteriorating beyond repair.

According to Calcio Mercato, Juventus has joined the hunt for N’Golo Kante, whose situation at Chelsea has reached a stalemate. The Frenchman’s contract expires in the summer of 2023, and he has yet to agree to new terms with the west London club, alerting potential suitors.

N’Golo Kante’s future is a subject of concern among Chelsea fans. The Frenchman’s deal expires next summer, and there’s no agreement to extend his stay at Stamford Bridge. There seems to be an impasse between both parties, as the midfielder’s departure is increasingly likely.

The 31-year-old World Cup winner reportedly had an agreement in principle with former club owner Roman Abramovic. He expected new Chelsea chief Todd Boehly to honour the agreement. However, the hierarchy has only offered a two-year contract.

In Kante’s defence, the Chelsea midfielder could point at the lucrative, long-term deal offered to 31-year-old defender Kalidou Koulibaly in the summer. The club, however, remains concerned about the midfielder’s growing fitness issues. The Frenchman has played fewer games in the last 2-3 seasons.

The midfielder wants to stay at Chelsea, but as thing stand, his departure looks likely. He can agree on a pre-contract with foreign clubs in January. He will have to wait until the summer to join another Premier League side.

North London sides Arsenal and Tottenham have shown an interest.  Chelsea might see it as a blow if the 31-year-old were to join either of them. The Blues would prefer to see him play for a foreign club than a domestic rival.

Kante is also interested in Italian clubs. Juventus are keen on the midfielder owing to his potential availability on a free transfer. The Turin side has financial troubles. Hence, a ‘bargain’ deal could appease those in charge of the club.

Manuel Locatelli could be one of those departures, with the Italian international a top target for Arsenal in January. Financially, replacing the former Sassuolo star with Kante would work for Juventus, despite only being a short-term solution.

Juventus are known to sign high-profile players at the end of their contracts in the past. For now, the partnership between Chelsea and Kante could be at its conclusive stages. The midfielder has proved an efficient signing, winning every possible honour at the club level.