Ngolo Kante’s performances for Leicester have shown that he could have been an ideal fit for Arsenal, who right now could really do with him.
Leicester City continue to stun the Premier League elite by maintaining their strong early season performances.
Jamie Vardy is the player attracting the plaudits after setting a Premier League record for scoring in consecutive matches, with Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger telling the club’s official website of his admiration for the England international.
It is though one of the club’s more unsung heroes, who the Gunners could really do with.
Summer signing Ngolo Kante has been a rock in midfield, ensuring Esteban Cambiasso’s departure has not been sorely felt.
Kante was snapped up from French side Caen for just £5.6 million, and is looking like one of the bargains of the season.
Arsenal surprised everybody this summer by failing to sign an outfield player, leaving themselves short of alternatives for Francis Coquelin in defensive midfield.
Their worst fears were realised last week as Coquelin went down injured against West Brom, and was subsequently ruled out for three months.
Kante has been putting in performances comparable to Coquelin at Arsenal, as figures from Opta illustrate.
| Team | Key Passes per game | Ball Recoveries per game | Aerial Duels Won per game | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| N’Golo Kanté | Leicester | 0.86 | 7.21 | 0.79 |
| Francis Coquelin | Arsenal | 0.25 | 8.08 | 0.75 |
Leicester will not let Kante go now, not for substantially more than they paid for him, and his performances demonstrate Arsene Wenger’s extensive knowledge of French football letting him down.
It does though show that there are good, affordable players out there in Europe who would improve the Arsenal squad, and help them cope better when their inevitable injury crisis strikes.
Failing to do so in January will compromise their trophy hunt further, and Wenger cannot make the same mistake.
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