Chelsea manager Graham Potter suffers first transfer blow as midfielder turns down contract offer

Chelsea star N’Golo Kante has reportedly turned down a new contract offer at the club and will leave when his current one expires next summer.

The World Cup winner’s contract will expire at the end of the season and even though he is currently recovering from an injury, the midfielder has been at the heart of every Chelsea success in recent history.

According to a report on the Athletic, the French midfielder has turned down a chance to sign a new deal based on the longevity and the overall package in the contract offered.

The Blues would be devastated to lose a player like Kante, who when fit, is easily one of the best midfielders in the world.

And the new Chelsea owners will not want to lose him for nothing.

Spanish side Real Madrid and French club PSG have all been monitoring the situation involving the player, and would move in for the 31-year-old if he was to run down his contract.

There are concerns over Kante’s fitness and durability as he has often than not suffered muscle injuries in the last couple of seasons.

But when fit, he’s one of the players who are considered game changers in big matches.

Chelsea have just spent around £260m in the summer transfer window on players like Wesley Fofana, Marc Cucurella and Raheem Sterling, as they look to get back to winning major titles again.

Graham Potter’s brand of football is exciting on the eye and the fact that a key player like Kante is not too keen on extending his stay at the club will be something to think about early on as he looks to stamp his authority.

Chelsea will look to return to the pitch in midweek when they host Salzburg before a not yet decided game against Liverpool over the weekend.