Before they know it, Chelsea’s problems in the midfield might be resolved. Graham Potter has had to forge a partnership without his most valuable asset despite being without Denis Zakaria due to injury and Jorginho’s status in the team appears to be long-term problematic.
Conor Gallagher has been filling in for N’Golo Kante in the middle of the park over the last several weeks, providing energy levels that are equivalent to Kante’s, but lacking the latter’s focus and tactical acumen. Although the 22-year-ability old’s to play in a two-man midfield has been questioned, his performances against Liverpool and Crystal Palace were brilliant, even if it was difficult to pinpoint his exact role in either match.
The long-term fitness of Mateo Kovacic, whose contract expires in 2024, and the team’s overall composition is also still questioned. With no permanent additions since 2018, the midfield has received a ton of neglect in recent years.
Enzo Fernandez’s hype was sparked in part by this, but with the transfer window closing in less than a week, it seems doubtful that he will be moving to Stamford Bridge. Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham, on the other hand, won’t be moving until the summer, but without Champions League play, Chelsea will have a difficult time persuading the English duo that their project is the right one.
It is therefore more crucial that the Blues utilize their available resources. There is growing optimism that Kante will return sooner rather than later, even though he has only played fewer than 180 minutes of football this season, with his last appearance coming in August during the second league game of the year.
Chelsea is essentially operating on a skeleton schedule for the remainder of the season since there is no domestic action to fill up the fixture list. That gives Potter more time to work with his group and eases the burden on his team, which has been hampered by injuries. Kante might make a comeback in the midst of all of this.
The French magazine L’Equipe reports that Kante might potentially return as soon as February. Chelsea’s Champions League last-16 matches are scheduled for February 15 and March 4 despite there being no official date. The latter may very well be a feasible goal. In addition, his final game for the Blues was on February 26 when he played away against Tottenham.
The slow return of Kante might be the huge spark to start the season going for Chelsea and also help to hold the midfield together, even if Potter will want to be extremely cautious with his greatest asset and star player. Chelsea may be able to move on with enthusiasm once more now that it is clear that negotiations are still ongoing and are generally moving in the right direction to reach an agreement on a new contract for the 31-year-old.
While Kante’s skills over the course of a long season may be waning, his effectiveness in one-off games and playoff matches may never have been more apparent. Due to his performance under Thomas Tuchel, he was essential to Chelsea’s 2021 Champions League victory. Even if he must be rested and given priority only for these games, even a partially fit Kante would provide something the Blues haven’t had in a long time.
The Blues may decide to postpone making any investments until the Kante problem is settled, despite the fact that they are also seeking to spend heavily on a midfielder this month.