Chelsea might be able to survive losing Eden Hazard to Real Madrid, but seeing N’Golo Kante follow suit would cripple the Blues.
Maurizio Sarri has successfully managed to guide Chelsea to Champions League qualification next season, but he may not be left with enough talent to compete in the competition. If Real Madrid successfully pry both Eden Hazard and N’Golo Kante away from the Premier League club then the Blues will find it difficult to maintain their current level of success.
The news of Zinedine Zidane’s interest in Hazard is nothing new. The talented Belgian has been on Los Blancos’ radar for the better part of two years. The interest in signing Kante as well is news to those around Stamford Bridge. The Express reports that Real Madrid view Kante as an obvious alternative to signing Paul Pogba away from Manchester United.
It’s easy to understand why Kante might be willing to give up on things at Chelsea. He’s been played out-of-position by Sarri for most of the season. The Blues’ manager is content to build his midfield around Jorginho which has pushed Kante to the side. He’s done an adequate job of impacting games from that spot, but it’s clearly not where he’s at his best.
Real Madrid would love to secure Kante’s services and put him right into the heart of their midfield. Luka Modric is a terrific creative force for Zidane’s squad, but the combination of his advancing age and inability to impact the match defensively makes finding an upgrade for the Croatian a priority for the La Liga giants. Kante would play the position in a much different fashion, but he’d add some much-needed steel to the middle of Real’s midfield.
The timing of Real Madrid’s interest in Hazard and Kante could hardly come out a worse time for Chelsea. The Blues are staring a potential transfer ban squarely in the face. In other words, they’d be forced to rely on their existing squad to cover any losses they might suffer in the transfer market. The club have some young talent scattered on-loan across the globe, but no one who’s ready to step in and fill the shoes of either Kante or Hazard.
As a result, it’s safe to assume Chelsea will drive a very hard bargain when Real Madrid come calling. They’re under no pressure to sell either star at the moment, but if either player openly pushes for a move things could change in an instant. Officials at Stamford Bridge are set for a turbulent summer thanks to Real Madrid.