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Former Arsenal midfielder Emmanuel Petit has claimed that Chelsea star N'Golo Kante is currently on a decline. The former Leicester City midfielder has been below par over the last few weeks.
Fitness has been a major concern for Kante in recent months, with the Frenchman suffering 10 injury setbacks between 2020 and 2022. Emmanuel Petit believes the Chelsea midfield powerhouse is now feeling the effects of his tireless runs and high work rate on the pitch.
He was quoted as saying by The Sun:
“You can see the last two years though, so many injuries. The machine isn't the same anymore. He can bring the same energy and the same display on the pitch but not every three days.
“I don't know how many miles he has run over six or seven years in England. He has probably run twice around the world. He's not immortal, the way he plays physically, you can see he's struggling."
It is worth noting that N'Golo Kante is already approaching the twilight of his career, having just celebrated his 31st birthday last month. Emmanuel Petit has urged the Frenchman to take better care of himself at this stage of his career.
The former Arsenal star continued:
“He's 31-year-old and he's not immortal, especially in this position in the middle of the park.
“I wish he could take care of himself a little bit more and be a bit more selfish, maybe think 'I'm not going to make this run anymore'. His sacrifices on the pitch are so overwhelming for his team-mates all the time, but Chelsea need the best Kante they can to win trophies and reach their targets."
N'Golo Kante's numbers for Chelsea so far this season
Despite his fitness concerns and dip in form, Kante continues to be an important figure at Stamford Bridge. The Frenchman has made 32 appearances for the club so far this season, recording two goals and five assists.
The Blues, meanwhile, are still in the fight for the FA Cup and the Champions League are mathematically not out of the Premier League title race yet. They'll be hoping Kante stays fit as to help them in the final stretch of the campaign.
