Mauricio Pochettino’s Tottenham Hotspur should make a move for N’Golo Kante of Chelsea in the summer transfer window.
Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea are bitter London rivals, but with the Blues failing to qualify for the Champions League next season and the uncertainty over the future of manager Antonio Conte, Mauricio Pochettino’s should target N’Golo Kante in the summer transfer window.
Kante is arguably the best defensive midfielder in the Premier League and has been an undoubted success at Chelsea since his move from Leicester City in the summer of 2016.
The 27-year-old has proved himself not only in the English top flight, but back-to-back Premier League success and an FA Cup medal has also proved that he is a winner, and he would make Tottenham genuine challengers to Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City next season.
| Team | Season | Passing Accuracy | Tackles Won | Interceptions Won | Ball Recovery | Touches | Shots on Target | Goal Assist | Goals | Appearances | Mins Played | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N’Golo Kanté | Chelsea | 2017-2018 | 89% | 77 | 85 | 312 | 2,672 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 34 | 2,998 |
| N’Golo Kanté | Chelsea | 2016-2017 | 89% | 82 | 82 | 275 | 2,671 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 35 | 3,139 |
| N’Golo Kanté | Leicester | 2015-2016 | 82% | 125 | 156 | 326 | 2,185 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 37 | 3,020 |
True, Tottenham have a strong defensive midfield, but Kante would be a huge upgrade and would displace Eric Dier or Mousa Dembele rightaway.
The 27-year-old’s tireless running and ability to spot dangers quickly would allow Tottenham to be more adventurous in attack and would also give the back-four a protective shield.
Kante’s salary could be an issue – according to The Daily Star, the former Caen star earns £110,000 per week as salary – and Chelsea may not be willing to sell one of their best players this summer, but the lure of playing in front of 60,000 fans and featuring in the Champions League could be tempting to the former Leicester star.
Manchester United finished second in the Premier League title season, but if Tottenham want to surpass Jose Mourinho’s side and give Guardiola’s side a run for their money next season, then they should make a bold and ambitious move for Kante.
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