PSG Reportedly Remain Keen on N'Golo Kante Despite Chelsea Contract Rumours

Paris Saint-Germain are still reportedly interested in signing Chelsea midfielder N'Golo Kante despite the Blues' attempts to make him the highest-paid player at the club. 

According to Darren Lewis of the Daily Mirror, the Blues are ready to offer Kante fresh terms that include a weekly wage of £290,000 over the course of five years. That's after the 27-year-old excelled for France in their successful FIFA World Cup campaign.

"But PSG have the finance to trump even that offer and to test the west Londoners' determination to hold on to their star man," continued the report. "Kante has been their No. 1 summer target since the recruitment of new boss Thomas Tuchel."

Here's how the story was covered, per BBC's Neil Henderson:

As noted by Lewis, when asked about Kante potentially moving to Paris, Tuchel declined to discuss any potential interest.

"It is not fair and I do not like, and I do not like it if other coaches talk about situations of players who are playing for other clubs,” he said. "So there is no comment on Kante, of course, not for the transfer window."

Kante's stock will be sky-high in France following his performances in Russia, as he was one of the crucial players in Didier Deschamps' successful side. 

It would make a lot of sense for PSG. While there are some areas of their squad that are stacked with quality, midfield isn't necessarily one, as they lack a high-class defensive midfielder. Kante is arguably the standout operator in this role.

For the French national team he has forged an excellent partnership in midfield alongside Manchester United man Paul Pogba:

It would be easy to see him doing similar at PSG with Marco Verratti and Adrien Rabiot. The latter duo are both at their best when they can push forward from deeper positions and influence play higher up the pitch; the presence of Kante would allow them to do exactly that.

However, the English game suits the attributes of the Frenchman perfectly. 

These numbers sum up just how consistent a defensive presence Kante offers:

While PSG may look on and long for a player like the Chelsea man, at this point in the window it is surely too late for the Blues to do business.

A massive transfer fee coming in would potentially be to the benefit of Maurizio Sarri if he wants to rebuild the Chelsea squad to fit his style of football. But with the transfer window poised to close on the eve of the Premier League season, selling Kante would leave an enormous void in the side.