Kante rejects Chelsea's contract proposal -- he's waiting for Barca to step in (reliability: 4 stars)
N'Golo Kante has knocked back a two-year contract offer from Chelsea, as per Sport. Instead of a 2+1 year deal, the Frenchman wants three more years at Stamford Bridge guaranteed.
Despite being injury-prone, Kante is rated highly due to his experience and the performances he has brought to the table over the years. But the report now claims that the midfielder is not happy with the terms offered and is holding out for Barcelona’s offer.
N'Golo is one of the options to replace Sergio Busquets in the coming summer. Barca's pursuit of the 31-year-old player would largely depend on his fitness and the economic terms he demands.
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First Bellerin, now Kante — explaining why Barca keep targeting bang average players
Barcelona keep signing and targeting players who are no longer in their prime – but once were.
Hector Bellerin, Marcos Alonso, Jorginho, N'Golo Kante are just one of the examples.
Why do the Barca bosses resort to this policy?
1. These players would agree on pay cuts
Complying with Joan Laporta's newly-instilled salary caps is crucial to fixing the club's financial situation.
Ageing world-class players are normally alright with reducing their wage when making the next career step. Alonso is currently 17th on the list of Barca's highest-paid players, Bellerin 20th.
2. They are alright with being benched
None of the players we've mentioned are going to play a key role under Xavi – even if someone sees Sergio Busquets' successor in a player like Jorginho.
Barca's strongest eleven is more or less clear while all these 'average' players mostly arrive to add some needed squad depth.
3. They turn Barca into bigger brand
Such players remain popular even if they are no longer the same on the pitch. If, say, N'Golo Kante joins the club in the summer, plenty of fans all over the world will be interested in whether he suddenly rediscovers his best form there. A rise in the number of bought jerseys is guaranteed too.
Busquets 'disappointed' with Laporta, reason named
Sergio Busquets is 'disappointed' with Joan Laporta, according to RAC1.
The player's entourage do not understand why there is still no contract offer despite the club's plan to keep the 34-year-old beyond this season.
Busquets believes that Barca should take the first step in the negotiations. He still keeps the door open as he knows that Xavi bets on him; however, if nothing changes, the player will consider the offers from the United States and Saudi Arabia.
Earlier, it was reported that Inter Miami and Al Nassr - Cristiano Ronaldo's new club - were interested in signing the legendary midfielder.
