N’Golo Kante rejects new contract offer from Chelsea and could leave as a free agent next summer

N’Golo Kante has refused a new two-year deal from Chelsea the 31-year-old French midfielder’s current contract runs out in 2023. Since joining Chelsea from Leicester City in 2016, Kante has continued to achieve extraordinary success for club and country and established himself among the world’s best in his position.

However, the 31-year-old France international has entered the final 12 months of his contract and unless there is progress in talks over an extension, Kante will depart as a free agent next summer. N’Golo Kante is one of five players in the squad whose contracts are set to expire at the end of the season, but it’s his situation that’s perhaps the one that’s posing the.biggest dilemma at the moment. Jorginho and Thiago Silva are both in this category as well (and Marcus Bettinelli and Denis Zakaria), but it’s Kante’s situation that’s the most complicated, he’s still a game-changer when fully fit, but those whens are becoming fewer and farther between. Talks between Chelsea and Kante began last year but were halted as ownership of the west London club switched hands to a consortium led by Boehly.

According to reports, Kante is holding out for a longer deal than the two-year offer on the table with an option for a third year, according to the verbal commitment from Boehly’s side. However, it remains to be seen if Boehly and Kante can agree on a deal to form a longer working relationship as the France international would be able to start talking to potential new clubs from the start of 2023