N’Golo Kanté looking for three-year contract extension with Chelsea, at least — report

N’Golo Kanté is one of five players in the squad whose contracts are set to expire at the end of the season, but it’s his situation that’s perhaps the one that’s posing the biggest dilemma at the moment. Jorginho and Thiago Silva are both in this category as well (and Marcus Bettinelli and Denis Zakaria), but it’s Kanté’s situation that’s the most complicated: he’s still a game-changer when fully fit, but those whens are becoming fewer and farther between.

This issue has been coming down the pike slowly but surely, and now that we’re done with the transfer window and have just about fully completed the ownership transition, we can finally address it properly — if we don’t have an extension in place by January, Kanté could start talking to other clubs, of which there would surely be no shortage.

Talks over that extension are apparently centered around the length, with David Ornstein of The Athletic reporting that Kanté wants a three-year deal at least, while Chelsea are currently only offering two years guaranteed plus an option for a third.

This is where having an actual sporting director would be quite beneficial, so hopefully we can find one soon and begin shaping the squad’s future.