Latest news with #N'GoloKante
BBC News
5 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Injury drop - is it key to Blues' improvement?
Chelsea endured their worst season in almost two decades in 2022-23, finishing 12th in the Premier League - it was a season of turmoil which saw four different managers come and go, and the volume of injuries played a key Blues had 48 separate injuries, causing a total loss of 1,836 days – both figures were more than any other top-flight club. N'Golo Kante, Armando Broja, Wesley Fofana and Reece James alone each missed more than 100 days, while the club didn't field an unchanged starting line-up in the league all didn't get much better in 2023-24 with 43 separate injuries, a number topped only by Manchester United. Chelsea's tally of 20 different injured players again included James, who was out for 206 days with two separate last season saw a marked improvement, with 24 separate injuries, exactly half as many as the 2022-23 campaign. Chelsea lost 827 days to injury, less than half the amount of both the two previous seasons, with only four clubs losing fewer.
The Sun
24-06-2025
- Sport
- The Sun
Arsenal discussing transfer for ‘next N'Golo Kante', 23, if Thomas Partey leaves when his contract expires
ARSENAL are reportedly discussing a move for Sevilla midfielder Lucien Agoume amid concerns Thomas Partey may not extend his contract with the London club. The Gunners are negotiating a new deal with Partey, 32, with the Ghanaian's current terms set to expire next week. 2 2 According to The Athletic, the two parties are yet to find an agreement and Partey is beginning to entertain offers from elsewhere. The midfielder is understood to be keen on remaining in London, but Arsenal are preparing potential alternatives in case Partey doesn't pen a new deal at the Emirates. The Atheltic report that one name that is under discussion is 23-year-old Lucien Agoume. Agoume, a French youth international, made a splash in La Liga last season as he helped keep Sevilla afloat in the midst of a relegation battle - making 35 appearances, scoring once and providing three assists. The defensive-minded rising star came through the ranks at Sochaux's academy, which has produced the likes of Ibrahima Konate and Marcus Thuram, before signing for Inter Milan in 2019. His time with Inter didn't go to plan, seeing him sent out on a number of loan moves to develop his game before ultimately being snapped up by Sevilla on a permanent deal last summer. Agoume has been likened to former Chelsea and Leicester superstar N'Golo Kante by those that have been watching him, with fans excited at the prospect of what he could bring to Arsenal. One fan wrote: "He's never going to be a lone No.6, but in a double pivot he could be the next N'Golo Kante". While another added: "I am liking all I read about Lucien Agoume, and if he anything like N'Golo Kante I will be delighted if we get him." Arsenal are already bringing in midfield reinforcements this summer after agreeing a deal to sign Real Sociedad's Martin Zubimendi. Fulham eye £10m Zinchenko move Zubimendi, 26, is set to finalise his switch to the Emirates in July due to Sociedad's request to delay the deal until next month for financial reasons. It's thought Arsenal will pay slightly more than Zubimendi's £51m release clause in order to split the cost over multiple instalments. Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga also appears set to complete a £5m move to North London as Arsenal look to bring in a new backup option for number one shot-stopper David Raya. The Gunners' top brass, including new transfer chief Andrea Berta, remain focused on bringing in a centre-forward during the window too. SunSport revealed last week that talks over a move for RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko have stalled over the Slovenian's wage demands, while Sporting's Viktor Gyokeres remains a second choice. While it's also been claimed that Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins, who Arsenal failed to sign in January, is still admired and could return to the frame should they fail to land one of Sesko or Gyokeres.
Yahoo
17-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Payback time: how Dutch players could power Suriname to the World Cup
Renske Adipi 'Kante', a midfielder with the Surinamese national team who idolizes French midfielder N'Golo Kante, dreams of an international career (Juan BARRETO) For years the small South American country of Suriname, a former Dutch colony, has been instrumental in producing some of the Netherlands' best footballers, from Frank Rijkaard and Ruud Gullit to Clarence Seedorf. Now, nearly 40 years after Gullit inspired the Dutch to victory in the 1988 European Championships, their only major trophy, the boot is on the other foot. Advertisement Suriname is banking on Dutch players of Surinamese origin to help it achieve its wildest dream: booking a spot in the FIFA World Cup finals for the first time when it comes to North America in June next year. "It's a dream of the nation and we hope that we can fulfil that dream," the president of the Suriname football federation Soerin Mathoera, told AFP in a recent interview in the Surinamese capital Paramaribo. The tropical country of 600,000 people situated on the northeast coast of South America, ranked 137th in the world by FIFA, looked on with pride as its children's children helped revive the fortunes of the struggling "Oranje" in the late 1980s. After failing to qualify for the 1982 and 1986 World Cups, a fabled trio of Surinamese-origin -- Rijkaard, Gullit and Aron Winter -- formed the nucleus of a new Dutch dream team. Advertisement It was not all plain sailing for players of color in the overwhelmingly white Dutch teams of the day. Gullit complained of receiving racial abuse. But the Surinamese influence endured. In the 1990s, the likes of Edgar Davids helped the Netherlands reach the semi-final of the 1998 World Cup. Current Dutch captain Virgil van Dijk, who has been a standout centre-back for English champions Liverpool, was born in the Dutch city of Breda to a Dutch father and Surinamese mother. - 'Much easier' path to qualifiers - Now the time has come for Suriname football to have its own moment in the sun. In pursuit of its World Cup dream authorities in the Caribbean nation six years ago broke with a longtime taboo by allowing players from the Surinamese diaspora join the national team. Advertisement The floodgates opened. Six years on, only three of the 26 players in the Surinamese squad were born in the country. The rest moved from Europe or Asia to play for their ancestral homeland, seen as having its best chance yet of reaching the World Cup at next year's expanded tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico of 48 teams (up from 32 previously). Despite being in South America, Suriname is part of the Concacaf (North, Central America and the Caribbean associations) federation. Being in the same group as the hosts, who automatically qualify for the tournament, is a shot in the arm for Suriname. Advertisement With no competition from the co-hosts for the five remaining Concacaf spots, its chances of making it through have grown exponentially. The team has gone into the qualifiers with a pep in their step, helped by a new crop of players with experience from Europe's premier leagues. And it shows. A goal from Dutch-born Jaden Montnor gave Suriname a 1-0 victory over Puerto Rico on June 6, taking it to the third round of the qualifiers in September. "We have made a lot of progress," said Mathoera. "We are among the best 14 countries within (41-federation) Concacaf," he claimed. The team's assistant coach, Roberto Godeken, who also manages SV Robinhood, the country's top club, agreed the path to the World Cup was "much easier" than in the past. Advertisement "We definitely have a much better chance of qualifying," he said, crediting "the arrival of the diaspora" with taking Suriname football "to a higher level." - Suriname's Kante - Renske Adipi "Kante", 25, a midfielder for Robinhood and the national team, hopes to write his name in the sporting annals like his idol French midfielder N'Golo Kante. Robinhood's only fully professional player, who is in talks with foreign clubs about a transfer, said he was "learning a lot" from foreign-born players. Diederik Samwel, the author of a book entitled "Suriname en route to the World Cup," said it was only a matter of time before the technical prowess of local players, blended with the Europeans' tactical skills, produced a breakthrough. For Godeken, it would be a "historic" feat if Suriname made it through. "It would put Suriname on the map," he said. lab/cb/pi
Metro
10-06-2025
- Sport
- Metro
N'Golo Kante set to sign short-term deal to play at Club World Cup
N'Golo Kante is set to sign a short-term loan deal with Al-Hilal in order to feature at the Club World Cup this summer, according to reports. The Premier League icon, who won top-flight titles with Leicester City and Chelsea, has been playing for Al-Ittihad since leaving Stamford Bridge. Kante swapped the west London side for Al-Ittihad in August 2023, joining as a free agent, and helped them win the 2024-25 Saudi Pro League title. But Al-Hilal are the only Saudi team in action at the revamped 2025 Club World Cup and Kante looks set to join them on loan for the tournament. Al-Hilal and Al-Ittihad, both controlled by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF), are in talks over a deal with optimism that a loan can be done. Wake up to find news on your club in your inbox every morning with Metro's Football Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your team in the link we'll send you so we can get football news tailored to you. That's according to The Athletic, meaning Kante could be set to feature against Real Madrid and RB Salzburg in the United States this month. Al-Hilal are in Group H with both European teams as well as Mexican side Pachuca at the expanded 32-team competition. Al-Hilal's qualification for the new-look Club World Cup was secured by their triumph in the 2021 AFC Champions League. They finished second in the Saudi Pro League in 2024-25, eight points behind champions Al-Ittihad. Kante remains incredibly popular with fans of English teams Leicester and Chelsea, with the latter side also at the Club World Cup this summer. Chelsea are in Group D at the Club World Cup with Flamengo of Brazil, Los Angeles FC of the USA and ES Tunis of Tunisia. Kante helped Chelsea win the Club World Cup under the old format of the tournament back in 2021 – which only featured a total of seven teams. He also won the Champions League, FA Cup, Europa League and Super Cup during his seven-year spell with Chelsea. The defensive midfielder was named Chelsea Players' Player of the Year in 2017 and Chelsea Player of the Year in 2018. Kante played a total of 269 games for Chelsea, joining them after he helped Leicester secure the Premier League trophy at odds of 5000-1. The 34-year-old also enjoyed success on the international stage with France, who landed the World Cup trophy in 2018. Kante was linked with a shock return to the Premier League 12 months ago with West Ham in talks with Al-Ittihad – but a move never materialised. 'I will always come short of good things to say about N'Golo,' Cesc Fabregas said about Kante last year. 'When he first came to Chelsea after winning the league with Leicester, tactically he was good but we saw him more as a corrector. 'But the most important thing and most special thing about him is the will to learn and the capacity to do it very fast and apply it on the pitch.' MORE: Leroy Sane sends message to Bayern Munich over Arsenal transfer MORE: Arsenal interested in sensational £70m swoop for Man Utd star to rival Chelsea MORE: Why Benjamin Sesko isn't playing for Slovenia tonight after Arsenal transfer links
Scottish Sun
10-06-2025
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
N'Golo Kante ‘set for shock transfer to compete in Club World Cup where he'll link up with former Chelsea team-mate'
All recommendations within this article are informed by expert editorial opinion. If you click on a link in this story we may earn affiliate revenue. He will team up with four ex-Prem stars WAY TO N'GO WAY TO N'GO N'Golo Kante 'set for shock transfer to compete in Club World Cup where he'll link up with former Chelsea team-mate' Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) N'GOLO KANTE is set to complete a shock move that will see him play in the Club World Cup, according to reports. The revamped 32-team tournament gets underway on June 15 in the United States. 1 N'Golo Kante will be loaned from Al-Ittihad to Al-Hilal Credit: Getty Kante, 34, currently plays for Saudi Arabian champions Al-Ittihad. But The Athletic claim he is going to be loaned to fellow Saudi giants Al-Hilal. The French midfielder will agree a short-team contract that lasts as long as the Club World Cup. Both teams are owned by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF), meaning the deal should be straightforward. READ MORE IN FOOTBALL MIC SWAP Carrick takes up new offer alongside Man Utd icon O'Shea just days after Boro axe They also own Al-Nassr, Al-Ahli and Premier League side Newcastle. Al-Hilal are the only Saudi representative in the Club World Cup. They are in Group H with Real Madrid, RB Salzburg and Pachuca. The switch will see Kante link up with former Chelsea team-mate Kalidou Koulibaly. JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS Former Premier League stars Joao Cancelo, Ruben Neves and Aleksandar Mitrovic also play for Al-Hilal. It comes after the club pushed hard to sign Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes. Dazn unveil brilliant Club World Cup promo video with legendary boxing announcer drafted in to ring bell on tournament The Portuguese playmaker was offered a three-year tax-free contract worth £200million. But Fernandes opted to turn it down as he wants to remain playing at the top level in Europe. WATCH EVERY MATCH OF THE CLUB WORLD CUP 2025 LIVE ON DAZN
