Chelsea star ‘agrees’ stunning two-year Arsenal transfer

Robin Bairner

• 25 Apr 2023 22:25 BST
• 3 min read

Chelsea midfielder N’Golo Kante has agreed to move to Arsenal on a two-year deal, according to a report from TodoFichajes.

The World Cup-winning midfielder is out of contract at the end of the season and after an injury-hit season has featured only four times for the Blues – memorably doing so under four different managers.

The popular Kante has been locked in contract talks with the club for much of the season but has found a sticking point in the length of deal they have been willing to offer him, with Chelsea unwilling to give a player 32 years old a multi-year deal.

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According to the report from Spain, though, Kante is willing to end his seven-year stay at Chelsea to sign a two-year contract with arch-rivals Arsenal. Crucially, this contract will have the option of an additional year.

It is reported that he has offers from Spain and elsewhere in the Premier League “but the player’s only idea is to continue in London”.

TodoFichajes reports that Kante has agreed to a contract that Arsenal sent him several weeks ago and that Gunners manager Mikel Arteta has been personally pushing for a deal to be completed, with the Spaniard feeling that his squad is lacking a midfielder of Kante’s quality.

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Kante to Arsenal: does the transfer rumour add up?

Arsenal are known to be seeking an additional midfielder this summer but the name of Kante is not one that has come into the frame.

There are several reasons for this – most obviously that it would be surprising for a Chelsea icon to leave to their biggest rivals.

Equally, though, Kante does not fit the typical profile of an Arsenal signing given his age.

On the other hand, with the player being available on a free transfer, he may be seen as a low-risk addition.

With Arsenal heading for the Champions League next season, he could also be seen as a player to provide top-level experience but Kante moving to the Emirates would still be a major surprise.