MX23RW : Thursday, December 12 21:57:44| >> :120:10607:10607:

Barcelona 'closing in on agreement for N'Golo Kante'

Barcelona 'closing in on agreement for N'Golo Kante'
© Reuters
Barcelona are reportedly close to reaching an agreement with Chelsea midfielder N'Golo Kante over a switch to Camp Nou.

Barcelona are reportedly nearing an agreement with Chelsea midfielder N'Golo Kante over a move to Camp Nou on a free transfer at the end of the 2022-23 campaign.

The Frenchman's current contract with the Catalan giants is due to expire next June, and he is not expected to sign a new deal with Graham Potter's side.

Kante has made 262 appearances for Chelsea since arriving from Leicester City in the summer of 2016, contributing 13 goals and 15 assists in the process.

The 31-year-old has won the Premier League title, FA Cup, Champions League, Europa League, UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup during his time in the English capital.

Kante was again a key player for the club during the 2021-22 campaign, making 42 appearances in all competitions, including 26 outings in the Premier League.

N'Golo Kante warms up for Chelsea in December 2021© Reuters

However, the midfielder has only made two appearances for Chelsea this season, which came against Everton and Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League in the first two games of the campaign.

Kante has been out with a hamstring problem since, and it was confirmed in the middle of October that he had undergone an operation to address the issue.

The Frenchman is currently with the Chelsea squad in Abu Dhabi as part of a mid-season break, with the team due to face Aston Villa on Sunday.

However, the experienced midfielder will not be available for at least another couple of months.

There has been a host of speculation surrounding his future over the last few months, with a number of clubs said to be keeping a close eye on his contract situation.

N'Golo Kante warms up for Chelsea on November 23, 2021© Reuters

According to Sport, Kante has been in contact with Barcelona 'for weeks', and a broad agreement over a move to Camp Nou has already been reached.

The report claims that the Catalan outfit want to check that Kante does not have any lasting issues from his hamstring problem before closing a deal, but they are confident that the Frenchman will prove his fitness.

The former Leicester City midfielder would allegedly have to accept a pay cut to make the move to Camp Nou, but he wants to join Xavi's side over any other club.

Barcelona will be in the market for at least one new midfielder next year, as Sergio Busquets is likely to leave the club following the expiration of his contract.

Meanwhile, there has also been speculation surrounding the future of Franck Kessie, who has struggled to settle at Camp Nou since his arrival on a free transfer from AC Milan.

ID:501692:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:collect4670:
Written by
Matt Law

N'Golo Kante future - Click here for more stories

Click here for more stories about N'Golo Kante

Click here for more stories about Chelsea

Collect / Create New Data
Share this article now:
Barcelona manager Xavi pictured in September 2022
Read Next:
Barcelona boss Xavi yet to be convinced on Neves?
>
Sports Mole Logo
Enter your email address to subscribe to Sports Mole's free match previews newsletter! Updates are sent twice a week.
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool14112129111835
2Chelsea1594235181731
3Arsenal1585229151429
4Manchester CityMan City158342721627
5Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest157441918125
6Aston Villa157442323025
7Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton156632522324
8Bournemouth157352320324
9Brentford157263128323
10Fulham156542220223
11Tottenham HotspurSpurs1562731191220
12Newcastle UnitedNewcastle155551921-220
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd155461918119
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham155372028-818
15Everton143561421-714
16Leicester CityLeicester153572130-914
17Crystal Palace152761420-613
18Ipswich TownIpswich151681427-139
19Wolverhampton WanderersWolves1523102338-159
20Southampton1512121131-205


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!