A replacement for Busquets? Barcelona have reportedly scouted Chelsea’s Kanté

Slowly but surely, Barcelona is facing a change of squad. Or rather, the leaders of the team. Gerard Pique is already finished for the autumn, Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets are on the verge. And the Catalans have reportedly found a replacement for the experienced midfielder at Chelsea.

Busquets is an undisputed club legend. He worked his way up from the youth ranks to the A-team, where he made his debut in the summer of 2008 and has subsequently linked his entire career with Barcelona.

He is already turning fifteen in the blue and red jersey and it is likely to be his last season. In fact, there is talk that the 34-year-old defensive midfielder could leave for MLS this summer.

And the replacement? The Culés have brought one in before in the form of Frenkie de Jong. However, he plays the same position as Busquets and was built to play a more offensive position at Barcelona. That didn’t quite suit him and maybe that’s why he didn’t make the impact he expected in Catalonia.

So it would make sense to give him the “six” position after Busquets left. But according to diario SPORT, Barcelona have other plans. The management wants to target N’gol Kanté, whose contract at Chelsea expires in the summer.

President Joan Laporta reportedly wants to sign the Frenchman in January so that he arrives in the summer completely free. Kante was the best defensive midfielder in the world for a time, but he will be 32 in March and he also missed almost the entire autumn due to injury, which is why he was not even at the World Cup in Qatar.

Kante was one of the wonders of Leicester’s title run, and he shone even after his transfer to Chelsea. He was a big part of France’s World Cup title in 2018 afterwards.

It will also depend on how the de Jong situation plays out. Barcelona wanted to sell him as they desperately needed the money. But the Dutchman refused to leave. Thus, his staying or leaving may also play a role in Kanté’s possible arrival.

Source: Diario SPORT