N'Golo Kante back in training to give Chelsea huge boost

31-year-old N'Golo Kante has not played for Chelsea since being forced off with a hamstring injury against Tottenham at the start of the season.

There has been a lot of speculation regarding Kante's future with the midfielder's contract set to expire at the end of this season. 

It was believed that due to his age and constant battle with injuries, Chelsea would let the World Cup winner leave on a free deal.

However, that does not appear to be the case as the Blues are eager to tie him down to fresh terms. 

According to The Guardian, Chelsea are close to reaching an agreement with N’Golo Kante on a new deal and are confident that his return will lift the rest of the squad and ultimately improve overall performance. 

Chelsea have struggled to find a suitable replacement for Kante and the unique qualities he possesses. The Blues brought in Enzo Fernandez in the January window but he is a different type of player to Kante. 

The likes of Connor Gallagher, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, and Dennis Zakaria have all been tried in that box-to-box, defensive role and there has been little success.

 Kante embodies the role and his return will be a big boost for manager, Graham Potter.

In more team news, Chelsea confirmed that club captain, Cesar Azpilicueta, has returned to the training ground after being in hospital with a concussion sustained against Southampton. 

“The club’s medical team are closely monitoring Cesar’s condition, adhering to the important concussion protocols in place to ensure his safety,” Chelsea said.

The Blues take on Tottenham next in a massive London derby this weekend.