Chelsea Star N'Golo Kante Reportedly Set to Top Eden Hazard as Highest Earner

Chelsea are reportedly ready to make N'Golo Kante their highest earner and are hopeful the 2018 FIFA World Cup winner will sign a £290,000-per-week deal to overtake Eden Hazard at the top of their wage list. 

The Times' Gary Jacob wrote that the new offer is worth around double Kante's current deal and would put him way in front of current highest-earner Hazard, who takes home £220,000 per week.

Kante dazzled at the World Cup in Russia, leading to further speculation that Paris Saint-Germain are ready to make a move for his services, but Chelsea will hope his lucrative new terms are enough to keep him at Stamford Bridge.

Kante is still yet to begin his pre-season under new Blues manager Maurizio Sarri after he played a vital role in France's World Cup win, with a little more than one week of the Premier League transfer window remaining.

Chelsea's most notable signing this summer saw Sarri reunited with his former Napoli midfielder Jorginho, and ESPN FC's Liam Twomey predicted the new chief's structure will suit Kante:

The one obvious doubt for Chelsea regarding Kante's immediate future in west London is the fact they failed to qualify for this season's UEFA Champions League.

Nizaar Kinsella of Goal previously wrote that PSG are willing to pay Kante £220,000 per week if they were to sign him. Les Parisiens boss Thomas Tuchel was recently asked about his side's interest in the midfield anchor but gave a reserved response, per Simon Collings of Hayters: 

It's little wonder Chelsea are so motivated to tie down the loyalties of a player who has been followed by title success after title success in recent years. Kante won the Premier League in his first season with Leicester City after joining from Caen in 2015, then repeated the feat with Chelsea before adding the World Cup to his collection this summer. 

The 27-year-old also finished as a runner-up at Euro 2016 and has won a major club trophy in each of his three seasons in England, illustrative of the impact he appears to have on the teams he represents.

Talk of such a spectacular contract offer comes as recognition for a player who's had a huge impact on numerous successes in recent years, and the Blues will spare no expense to ensure he remains their asset.