Chelsea midfielder N'Golo Kante is reportedly determined to sign a pre-contract with Barcelona in January.
The 31-year-old's deal at Stamford Bridge is due to expire next June, and he is widely expected to leave the Blues on a free transfer in search of pastures new.
Kante has only made three appearances for Chelsea during the 2022-23 campaign, with the midfielder undergoing a hamstring operation in the middle of October to address a troublesome issue.
The Frenchman is unlikely to be back on the field until February, but his time with the Blues appears to be coming to an end, with both parties said to be keen to move on next year.
According to Sport, Kante is determined to sign a pre-contract at Barcelona in January, with the midfielder pressing the Catalan outfit to place a deal on the table.
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However, the report claims that Barcelona are yet to make a final decision on the experienced midfielder, which could force him to look elsewhere for a new club.
Juventus are also said to be suitors for Kante, who will allegedly not wait around for Barcelona if it becomes clear that the Catalan side will not be offering a deal.
The La Liga club's head coach Xavi allegedly views Real Sociedad's Martin Zubimendi as the ideal replacement for Sergio Busquets, but Kante represents the cheaper option.
Kante's teammate Jorginho is also out of contract next year and is said to be a target, in addition to Youri Tielemans, who will soon enter the final six months of his contract at Leicester City.
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Barcelona are still unclear whether Busquets will be signing a new deal at Camp Nou, with the former Spain captain weighing up a move to the MLS.
A new midfielder could still arrive next year even if Busquets stays at the club, though, as Franck Kessie might be on the move after struggling to settle since his arrival from AC Milan.
Kante moved to Chelsea in 2016 off the back of helping Leicester City win the 2015-16 Premier League title.
The Frenchman has won the Premier League, FA Cup, Champions League, Europa League, UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup during his time at Stamford Bridge.
Kante has made 262 appearances for the Blues, scoring 13 goals and contributing 15 assists in the process.
Matt Law
