According to transfer insider, Dean Jones ‘other’ targets alongside Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice will be on Chelsea’s radar to succeed N’Golo Kante.
The French midfielder, alongside Jorginho, sees his contract at Stamford Bridge expire at the end of the season.
As reported by The Athletic, Kante has rebuffed the Blues’ latest renewal offer of a two-year deal with an option to extend for a further 12 months.
The 2016/17 PFA Player of the Year is instead looking for a three-year extension with a one-year option and while talks stall, the club’s search for his potential successor continues.
Chelsea have been listed among the potential suitors for Bellingham while also having a long-standing interest in former academy player Declan Rice.
Now Jones has speculated that alternative targets could come into the conversation.
He told GIVEMESPORT: “We know Chelsea are already looking for his successor. We know that Jude Bellingham’s on the radar, Declan Rice is on the radar.
“Other people are now going to be on the radar because we’ve got new figures coming into the club.”
Kante’s injury issues have been persistent, particularly in the last few seasons, and his absence so far in this campaign has been telling with Chelsea failing to win four of the six games he has missed.
Replacing the 31-year-old is perhaps impossible but bringing in a player the calibre of Rice could go a long way in filling the void.
Hailed as a ‘generational talent’ by The Athletic journalist Roshane Thomas, Rice is currently averaging 2.57 tackles per 90 minutes compared to Kante’s 3.16.
According to Fbref, the Englishman boasts more blocks (1.57) and interceptions (2.86) than Chelsea’s no.7and while it would be a big position to fill the 2021/22 Hammer of the Year could be up to the enviable task but it does appear that other names could also be targeted should a move for the West Ham ace fail to materialise.
