Barcelona target on the verge of signing a new contract with Chelsea – English sources

According to Matt Law of The Telegraph, Chelsea midfielder N’Golo Kante is on the verge of signing a new contract with the club, despite interest from clubs like Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain.

Kante is in the final few months of his contract with the Blues, which had led to speculations over his future at Stamford Bridge, especially with the club targeting young players under the new ownership.

The Frenchman’s recent injury troubles did not help matters either as it was reported that Kante could be on his way out as a free agent in the summer, with Barcelona among the clubs keen.

The Blaugrana are in the market for a defensive midfielder as uncertainty lingers over the future of captain Sergio Busquets. Considering that the club’s finances are in dire straits, a move for a potential free agent like Kante has reportedly been discussed at Camp Nou.

However, at the same time, Chelsea were holding talks with the 2018 FIFA World Cup winner in the background even as he continued his recovery from a serious hamstring injury that required surgery.

Kante has recently resumed training and the Blues are hoping that he will be able to return to action sometime in March.

Not only will he provide a boost for the London-based outfit on the field, but the veteran star is also set to bolster the squad for the next season by signing a new contract.

The report states that Chelsea are confident that an agreement with Kante is now close to being finalised.

With Kante pretty much slipping out of Barcelona’s hands, it will be interesting to see who the club targets to reinforce the defensive midfield position.

Links to Manchester City captain Ilkay Gundogan have intensified in recent weeks, with the Catalan club officials even meeting with his agent. The German ace could be a good, short-term solution for Xavi’s Barcelona in the summer if they do not retain Busquets.