Barcelona eye surprise move for 31-year-old French midfielder as Sergio Busquets replacement - Reports

FC Barcelona are targeting Chelsea midfielder N'Golo Kante as a potential replacement for Sergio Busquets, according to Spanish outlet Relevo.

Busquets has been one of the longest serving players in the current Catalan squad. The Spaniard, however, has entered the final year of his contract at the Nou Camp. There have been talks that the World Cup-winning midfielder will be leaving at the end of the 2022-23 season.

Barcelona will, therefore, need an adequate replacement to fill in the boots of Busquets. As per the aforementioned source, that player is Kante.

The French midfielder has been one of the most consistent players in the Premier League over the past few seasons now. The Chelsea star, too, is in a similar situation to Busquets.

Kante has also entered the final year of his Chelsea contract and will be available on a free transfer in the summer of 2023. Barcelona could be in a position to agree a pre-contract with Kante in January.

Getting a player of Kante's caliber on a free transfer is what has attracted Barcelona to sign him next summer. The former Leicester City midfielder would fit in seamlessly in the defensive midfield position at the Nou Camp, in a similar position currently occupied by Busquets. Kante also offers a little bit more than Busquets as the Frenchman is a bit more creative in the final third.

The only downside to signing the 31-year-old in the summer is that the midfielder is currently suffering from a long-term hamstring injury. The injury has seen him play just twice in the Premier League all season.

Kante's injury has seen him ruled out of the upcoming 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. The Catalan giants will thus need to pay attention to his recovery and form after his injury before making a final decision on signing him.

Kante has won the Premier League twice, in 2016 with Leicester City and in 2017 with Chelsea, apart from clinching the Champions League with the Blues in 2021. He has also won the World Cup with France in 2018.

---

Barcelona secure late victory in La Liga

Xavi Hernandez's side, meanwhile, needed an injury-time winner from Robert Lewandowski to secure all three points against Valencia in La Liga on Saturday, 29 October.

The Catalan giants were in dire need of a win following their exit from the UEFA Champions League in midweek.

Their win against Valencia takes Barcelona to the top of the La Liga charts on goal difference. They have amassed 31 points from their opening 12 league games. Real Madrid are level on points with them and have a game in hand over their El Clasico rivals.