La Liga heavyweights Barcelona have reportedly sounded out a move for former Chelsea mainstay N’Golo Kante, a target for West Ham United.
According to a report by Spanish outlet SPORT, N’Golo Kante is the subject of interest from Barcelona. The former Chelsea midfield mainstay is not the top target for Barcelona heading into the final days of the summer transfer window. However, the Catalan giants have sounded out a move for the Al-Ittihad midfielder, with West Ham United also keen on signing him.
N’Golo Kante and his time at Al-Ittihad
N’Golo Kante has seen his career find a new lease of life since joining Al-Ittihad in a Bosman move last summer. The Frenchman had become a free agent after his contract with Chelsea expired, with the big-spending Saudi Pro League giants offering him a lucrative offer to move to the Middle East.
The 33-year-old has been a mainstay in the middle of the park for Al-Ittihad, turning out 44 times thus far for Al-Ittihad while chipping in with four goals and six assists. Kante’s exploits for the former Saudi Pro League champions earned him a spot in Didier Deschamps’s squad for UEFA Euro 2024.
The veteran French midfielder was arguably the best performer for France and played a leading role as a misfiring team reached the semi-finals despite barely scoring throughout the tournament. Meanwhile, N’Golo Kante’s exploits for his club and country have alerted several well-known clubs across Europe, including West Ham United and Barcelona.
Will Kante join a new club this summer?
West Ham United’s interest in N’Golo Kante was understandable. The Hammers have been keen on signing a holding midfielder this summer, with Guido Rodriguez reinforcing the position. So, it is unclear if West Ham will launch the offensive for the former Chelsea midfield mainstay.
As for Barcelona, the Catalan outfit’s search for Sergio Busquets’s successor has not yielded the desired results. Kante has thus emerged as a viable target for Barcelona, although the Blaugrana will only launch the offensive if they have enough funds to secure the Frenchman’s services.
The report has claimed that the 33-year-old France international wants to leave Al-Ittihad in the summer transfer window. That might give Barcelona the opportunity to execute a cut-price move for the veteran midfielder. It will be interesting to see if he becomes a top target for Barcelona in the coming days.
