Man United are reportedly eyeing a move for Chelsea star N’Golo Kante despite there being some concerns over a swoop within Old Trafford.
The Red Devils are in dire need of midfield recruits heading into the summer window with the likes of Paul Pogba, Nemanja Matic and Juan Mata all set for the exit as their contracts come to an end. Erik ten Hag’s former Ajax star Frenkie de Jong has already been linked with a switch to Manchester and despite reports the clubs are negotiating over a fee, it appears unlikely at this stage that the Barcelona star will become a Red Devil.
According to The Athletic though, United are considering an option somewhat closer to home in the form of World Cup winning midfielder Kante. As per the reports, the Red Devils are aiming to take advantage of the Frenchman’s uncertain future with Chelsea in order to seal a deal.
His contract is set to expire next summer and it is hoped that he would be available on a cut-price agreement, with Thomas Tuchel hoping to overhaul his midfield at Stamford Bridge. Interestingly, United have been linked with a move for Kante in the past.
They were apparently offered his services during the tenure of former Chelsea boss Frank Lampard but in the end, the hierarchy at Old Trafford did not elect to pursue him with some deciding that Kante’s best days were firmly behind him. That problem has persisted further with the Frenchman now 31 and having seen his most recent season disrupted by multiple injury complaints.
He has made just 31 starts in all competitions this term, having been left out of 19 matchday squads in all.
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Despite that, Tuchel has remained complimentary of the midfielder. He said: “He [Kante] is our key, key, key player but key, key, key players need to be on the pitch, and if he plays only 40 per cent of the games, it is maybe a miracle that we arrive in third place.
“He is our Mo Salah, our Virgil van Dijk, our Kevin De Bruyne. He is the guy who makes the difference and if you only have him 40 per cent, it is a huge problem.”
Whilst the Red Devils are eyeing the two-time Premier League champion, they do however have other options to consider as they aim to bolster their midfield heading into next campaign. It is further suggested that Ajax utility man Edson Alvarez is among those being considered by his former boss ten Hag.
Meanwhile, it is said that they are making their final push to secure the services of Wolves star Ruben Neves.
They have also been linked with promising Monaco star Aurelien Tchouameni but it is detailed that the Red Devils are not actively pursuing his services, with Real Madrid and Liverpool thought to be front-runners.
