Agbonlahor: N’Golo Kante may have to take Chelsea pay cut as ‘big’ claim issued
Chelsea may only offer N’Golo Kante a short contract on less money because he is injury prone, according to Gabby Agbonlahor.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the ex-Aston Villa and England attacker insisted Kante is “outstanding” when he does play but he misses too many games to warrant a “big, big money” offer.
The Athletic reported on Monday (12 September) that the 31-year-old had rejected the offer of a new two-year deal with an option for a further 12 months.
Kante has entered the final year of his current contract and could leave as a free agent next summer.
It is claimed under Roman Abramovich’s ownership, the Frenchman had been offered a three-year deal with the option of a fourth.
The new ownership agreed to sign 33-year-old Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang on a three-year deal this summer while Kalidou Koulibaly, who is the same age as Kante, signed a four-year contract.
“I think he’s probably looking at the terms, maybe not the length,” Agbonlahor told Football Insider correspondent Connor Whitley.
“If you’re Chelsea, you’ve got a player who suffers a lot of injuries so you wouldn’t offer him the big, big money and the long contract.
“At his age and being injury prone, he misses a lot of football.
“When he’s fit, he’s outstanding but the amount of football he misses mean he doesn’t warrant a long-term contract, for me.”
After starting the opening two Premier League games for Chelsea, Kante has not made a matchday squad since.
The World Cup winner is currently recovering from a hamstring injury.
In other news, Chelsea are set to announce two new hires soon amid a “revolutionary” claim.