Although he’s had his injury problems of late, news that Chelsea will secure N’Golo Kante for a further two seasons with the option of a third will surely buoy manager, Graham Potter.
The former Brighton and Hove Albion man had been under the cosh because of a dearth of positive results, though the news on Kante comes on the back of three wins in a row for the manager, qualification for the Champions League quarter finals and the beginning of a narrative reversal.
The Sun detail the length of the new agreement for Kante, but no other details are available at this point.
It’s a real shot in the arm for a player who always seems to have a smile on his face when playing.
Understood to be well liked in the dressing room and on the Stamford Bridge terraces, it’s a remarkable show of faith in the player by the club, given that he hasn’t featured since the game against Tottenham in August.
The Blues playing staff has changed immeasurably since then, but it’s clear from Chelsea’s point of view that there’s no substitute for experience.
Kante, when fit, is a mainstay of the Blues midfield, and this deal will allow precisely that scenario again in future, when Potter – or a potential replacement – will be fighting for titles on all fronts.
The deal will also offer the player some comfort and take him up to just after his 33rd birthday.