The Times have reported that Chelsea defensive midfielder N’Golo Kante could return to action against Javi Gracia’s Leeds United at Stamford Bridge in London in the Premier League this coming weekend.
N’GOLO KANTE COULD PLAY FOR CHELSEA VS LEEDS UNITED
The report has claimed that Kante has returned to first-team training with Chelsea and could be included in manager Graham Potter’s squad for the match against Leeds this coming Saturday.
The £290,000-a-week (SalarySport) France international defensive midfielder ‘was involved in part of the session at Cobham on Monday’.
As reported by The Times, the 31-year-old former Leicester City defensive midfielder has not played since August 14 due to a hamstring injury, which means that Potter could use the 2018 World Cup winner with France for the first time under him.
HARD FOR LEEDS UNITED
Now, Chelsea are not having the best of times under manager Graham Potter.
The former Premier League and UEFA Champions League winners are not scoring goals or winning matches.
However, Kante is one of the best defensive midfielders in the world.
Even having the Frenchman as an option on the bench would enhance Chelsea’s chances of getting something from the match against Leeds.
Yes, Leeds won this past weekend, but we cannot ignore the fact that they have been really poor this season and could get relegated to the Championship.
Report leaks real Graham Potter thoughts on Romelu Lukaku Chelsea return after public Inter announcement
Graham Potter’s feelings on Romelu Lukaku coming back to Chelsea this summer have been revealed by a report following a public Inter Milan admission on the striker.
Lukaku was loaned out to Inter in July last year. It saw him go back to the club where he had joined Chelsea from for £97.5million just 11 months earlier.
The Belgian was hoping to rediscover his deadly goalscoring form which saw him become a fan-favourite at Inter between 2019 and 2021. However, similarly to Lukaku’s second Chelsea spell, his Inter return has not gone to plan.
Injuries have limited him to 15 appearances in all competitions so far this term. And even when Lukaku has been fit, he has not made a huge impact. Just four goals and one assist have come his way in those 15 outings.
The loan deal does not include any option or obligation to buy. Inter CEO Beppe Marotta confirmed earlier on Tuesday that Lukaku would return to Chelsea at the end of the season. Although, the two clubs will then hold talks over a second transfer.
“Will Lukaku stay at Inter? Talking about it now is premature,” he said during an interview with Sky Sport Italia.
“At the moment we have the goal of finishing the season in the best possible way, then we will have to think about the hypotheses on the teams for next year and in this sense, [Inter sporting director Piero] Ausilio is doing a concrete job to identify the players in the positions righteous.
“Lukaku is a Chelsea player today. At the end of the season he will return there and then a new scenario will open up and we’ll see what to do.
“He wants to stay. It is an intention that he has expressed several times and certainly knowing him we will see if it will be the case to be able to negotiate his return with us.”
Romelu Lukaku not wanted by Chelsea
Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport have written a report which looks at Lukaku’s situation and where he could end up. It reveals that Chelsea would ideally want to engineer a second season-long loan for the 29-year-old to go back to Inter. Then, in summer 2024, they hope to axe Lukaku permanently.
The main reason Chelsea want to get rid is that Lukaku does not fit into Todd Boehly’s plans. The chairman is focusing on talented young players with bright futures and Lukaku does not fit into this bracket.
The report also details what Potter thinks about the former Manchester United ace. It is claimed Potter ‘is not enthusiastic’ about Lukaku coming back.
The manager is in need of a new centre-forward. This is due to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang being past his best, Armando Broja’s injury and David Datro Fofana’s lack of big-game experience. But Potter does not view Lukaku as being the solution. Perhaps he took note after Thomas Tuchel’s struggles with the player last season.
While it is likely Lukaku will eventually return to Inter permanently, Chelsea will struggle to make most of the money back. Lukaku’s lack of form and injury problems mean Inter will not want to pay anywhere near the £97.5m he cost Chelsea in summer 2021.
