Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel has already made his feelings about N'Golo Kante clear amid claims Manchester United will look to sign him this summer window. Kante only has 12 months left to run on his contract at Stamford Bridge and the Londoners risk losing him for nothing.
As part of their impending rebuild, key figures in the Old Trafford boardroom are targeting a new centre-back plus one versatile attacking option and, at least, one recruit in central midfield. United were planning to strengthen that area even before Nemanja Matic and Paul Pogba gear up to leave.
They are certain to be joined by Jesse Lingard and Spanish veteran, Juan Mata, hinted that he could depart as well when making a gesture to United supporters who made the final day trip to Crystal Palace. Several midfielders have been linked with a switch to Old Trafford.
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Some of them - including Kalvin Phillips and Frenkie de Jong - are more concrete targets while others are not quite as firm as that. Kante, 31, is reported to have United monitoring his situation, too, although Tuchel appears unwilling to allow his difference-maker to leave Stamford Bridge before next season.
Speaking about the Chelsea man earlier this month, Tuchel said: "I think he is our key, key, key player - but key, key, key players need to be on the pitch. He plays only 40 per cent of the games. So it's maybe a miracle that we arrived in third place [this season].
"Because he is our Mo Salah, he is our [Virgil] van Dijk, he is our [Kevin] De Bruyne. He is our Neymar, he is our Kylian Mbappe. He is the guy who makes the difference and, if you only have him 40 per cent, it's a huge problem."
Tuchel added: "It's hard to live with because it's important for him to be here and to have the rhythm.
"He constantly starts getting into rhythm and once he has rhythm he gets a little injury and he's out again. This guy who gets man of the match in every Champions League game is only here for 40-something per cent of games, this is huge for us. We'll do everything to solve it. I don't blame him, but it's a concern."
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