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Manchester United have reportedly set their sights on signing N'Golo Kante from Chelsea this summer. Erik ten Hag wants to rebuild United's midfield and sees the Frenchman as a valuable addition.
As per The Guardian's Jacob Steinberg, Manchester United are considering a move for Kante. However, Chelsea are unlikely to sell, although there are concerns about his injury record.
Kante's injury issues have been well documented in recent seasons, but Chelsea have managed him well. The midfielder has done well in the matches he has played, but his numbers have dropped significantly.
Thomas Tuchel has indicated that the Frenchman is his main player. He said:
"I think he is our key, key, key player; but key, key, key players need to be on the pitch. He plays only 40% of the games. So it's maybe a miracle that we arrived in third place. Because he is our Mo Salah, he is our [Virgil] van Dijk, he is our [Kevin] De Bruyne. He is our Neymar, he is our Kylian Mbappé; he is the guy who makes the difference. And if you only have him 40% it's a huge problem."
However, The Guardian and The Athletic claim the midfielder will be available for a cut-price as his deal expires in a year. They added that Tuchel wants to rebuild the midfield, and making space is a priority.
Tuchel on managing Kante's injuries at Chelsea
Tuchel has been open about Kante's injury record and claimed that the drop in performance was all down to burnout. After the Champions League exit to Real Madrid, the German said:
"One thing that is very clear is that N'Golo is a key player because he has outstanding and unique qualities. For other teams it might be a striker or a central defender, but with N'Golo he is a unique player who can give something to the team that nobody else can. He has struggled this season with consistency due to injuries and illness, and this is also a reason for our [the team's] inconsistency. We missed him for so many matches, if you look at the minutes that he was available and could play."
Kante's contract expires in next summer, and the midfielder is yet to pen a new deal.
