Chelsea star ‘wanting’ exit is offered ‘astronomical contract’ to join Cristiano Ronaldo in Saudi Arabia

Lewis Oldham
Chelsea star linked with Al Nassr

Chelsea midfielder N’Golo Kante is reportedly being targeted by Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr and they are looking to lure him away from Stamford Bridge.

Kante has been with Chelsea since he joined them in 2016 for £32m after he helped Leicester City won the Premier League.

The midfielder has proven to be a superb signing for the Blues as he has helped them win the Premier League, Champions League, Europa League and FA Cup in recent seasons.

The World Cup winner has regularly been considered to be one of the best midfielders in the world but he is approaching the end of his career as he is now aged 31.

The Frenchman is out of contract this term and his next deal will likely be the last of his career.

Kante staying on at Chelsea felt like the obvious solution before this season started but he has been out of action for much of this campaign through injury.

Blues boss Graham Potter confirmed last month that Kante is likely to be out until February.

He also indicated that his “focus” is on Kante’s fitness over potential contract talks.

‘He will be a while, end of February, start of March,” Potter said. “It was a surgery, so it is a minimum period of four months pretty much.

“I think my focus is to help him get back fit as soon as possible, everyone knows the quality he has.

“That is not in question, but it is about helping him get fit and back on the pitch, and looking forward to seeing him back playing football as we haven’t seen him.”

A recent report from The Athletic stated that Kante has recently had a change of heart about his future at Chelsea.

There is reportedly ‘increased confidence’ that he will remain at Chelsea beyond this season.

But a separate (and less trustworthy) report from Spanish outlet Sport is saying that ‘Kante is still in talks with Chelsea but it already seems clear that he wants to leave the Premier League’.

Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr are ‘attentive’ to Kante’s situation at Chelsea. This comes after they signed Cristiano Ronaldo on a free transfer following his exit from Man Utd.

The 37-year-old is understood to be earning around £173m a year at Al-Nassr and he has penned a deal that runs until 2025.

The report adds that Al-Nassr are ‘in a position to offer him an astronomical contract and the footballer would be thinking about it’.

FC Barcelona have been lingering in the background for months and they are keen on a free transfer. They are still ‘calm’ about the situation despite Al-Nassr’s apparent interest.

The Spanish giants are in a good position themselves as Kante is said to be ‘attracted’ by a switch to La Liga.

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