Barcelona dealt a major blow in free transfer pursuit of Chelsea midfield superstar

Barcelona will once again scour the free-agent market to strengthen their squad in the summer. One of the key areas that manager Xavi Hernandez is keen to reinforce before next season is the defensive midfield position.

Sergio Busquets’ contract expires at the end of the season and he could be on his way to the MLS, although his continuity at Camp Nou is not completely off the table.

It has led to links with Chelsea superstar N’Golo Kante. The Frenchman is out of contract at the end of the season, and Barcelona director Mateu Alemany is believed to be pushing for the Frenchman’s signing in the summer.

However, according to the latest report from Matt Law of The Telegraph, Chelsea are optimistic about Kante renewing his contract with the club and prolonging his stay at Stamford Bridge. This development will come as a major blow to Barcelona’s chances of signing Kante.

The 31-year-old has hardly played this season, having been sidelined with an injury since August last year. He is expected to be back only in late February or early March, having undergone surgery to treat his injury.

This has resulted in Barcelona holding off on pursuing Kante’s signing with greater fervour as they want to see how he fares upon returning from injury.

However, Chelsea are now making efforts to extend the 2018 FIFA World Cup winner’s contract beyond the summer.

The report suggests that while it was expected that Kante would leave at the end of the season, the midfielder is now favouring penning a new deal with the Blues.

Owner Todd Boehly had been leading negotiations for a contract with Kante, but will now let Paul Winstanley and technical director Christopher Vivell take over after stepping down from his role as interim director.

Despite his recent injury problems, Kante is still seen as one of the best midfielders in the game. Chelsea believe he can continue to play a huge part in the team if managed carefully. And they are now optimistic that the former Leicester City ace will pen a new deal.