Chelsea will need to replace the outgoing N'Golo Kante after the 32-year-old agreed a £172million contract to sign for Saudi Arabian side Al Ittihad. The Frenchman completed a medical earlier this week ahead of his move to join fellow countryman Karim Benzema in the middle-east.
Kante looked set to sign a new contract at Stamford Bridge under Mauricio Pochettino, but no agreement was reached and thus the Saudi Arabian champions swooped in with a sensational offer. Upon signing a two-year deal, with an option for a further season, the midfielder will receive €100million (£86million) per season.
Pochettino wants to sign a new central midfielder at Stamford Bridge - as reported by football.london last month - but now it seems he will need at least two more additions in that area of the pitch. Kante's departure comes as a huge blow despite the French midfielder missing the majority of the 2022/23 campaign through injury.
Mateo Kovacic is another midfielder that could leave Stamford Bridge this summer after Manchester City initiated talks over a £35million deal to sign the Croatian. Chelsea had been pursuing a deal to sign Sporting CP midfielder Manuel Ugarte earlier this month, but have since pulled out of negotiations due to concerns over wages.
Paris Saint-Germain had offered Ugarte a much higher salary with the Uruguayan midfielder looking set to make a move to the French capital this summer. With a deal for Ugarte now off and Kante set to leave Chelsea, football.london takes a look at three options Pochettino could pursue as he aims to find a perfect partner for Enzo Fernandez.
Romeo Lavia
Romeo Lavia has been linked with a move to Stamford Bridge since last summer. The Blues had a £50million bid for the Belgian midfielder turned down by Southampton last summer just weeks after he completed a move to St Mary's Stadium.
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Following the Saints' relegation from the Premier League, Lavia could be on the move this summer with Chelsea still interested in the 19-year-old. Chelsea would be wise to make a move for Lavia this summer given the fact Manchester City have an option-to-buy the midfielder next summer after including a clause that would allow them to sign him on the cheap after letting him leave for £14million last year.
Khephren Thuram
Khephren Thuram has impressed for OGC Nice in France and has been linked with a move to the Premier League this summer. Liverpool are among the clubs to register an interest in Thuram, but Chelsea could potentially look to the Frenchman as a replacement for Kante.
The 22-year-old played 46 times for Nice last season, with 17 of those games coming from defensive midfield, while he has plied his trade a bit more often as a box-to-box midfielder. His physicality and technical ability make him a suitable partner for Enzo in Chelsea's midfield and he may be available for a fee in the region of £40million this summer.
Manu Kone
The Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder is attracting interest from across Europe after a breakout season in Germany. Chelsea. alongside Liverpool, Manchester United and PSG, have also been rumoured with a move for the youngster.
Speaking out his future earlier this year, Kone told Le Parisien: "Interest of PSG? You know that I am Parisien, I was born and trained here. There is a logical link.
"But whether it's Paris or another club doesn't matter to me. I just want to play. If I have to leave, I'll think about playing as priority."
Pochettino will need to have a clear idea on how to fit Kone into his squad before making a move to sign him - if he believes the 22-year-old can replace Kante in the first team.
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