Chelsea target N’Golo Kante deserves to play at a big club says former Blues legend Claude Makelele
Ex-Stamford Bridge hero is huge fan of Leicester ace available for £20million this summer as big clubs make their moves
CLAUDE MAKELELE says Chelsea target N'Golo Kante deserves to be playing his football for a top club in Europe.
Kante was one of the driving forces of Leicester's shock march to the Premier League title last season.
But he is now wanted by a string of big sides after it became clear he has a £20million release clause in his contract ath the King Power Stadium.
And the 25-year-old has been tipped to flourish if he does make a move - by the player he has been compared to the most for his brilliant displays in the centre of midfield.
Former Chelsea and Real Madrid star Makelele revelled in his nickname as the water carrier - doing the dirty work in matches and letting others take the limelight.
And he says Kante has exactly the same qualities.
Makelele said: "I enjoyed the way I had to play, this position made me happy.
"My men, I wanted to make them happy, the players behind me happy – I didn’t need to score, the good things came after.
"This job is very difficult, but I loved it.
"I don’t want N’Golo Kante to be compared with me. Kante can be Kante.
"I want him to be more than me, but I love to watch him play because you can see in him the joy.
"I love the kind of player like that, who plays for the team.
"Sometimes you see a team with big players, but for me whenever a team is winning it is because of spirit.
"He arrived in a good way, now he wants to play in the Champions League. It’s another competition, another stress, just like the national team.
"He needs to get everything from every experience.
"He still has the same way of playing, the same happiness, but he needs to play in a big team."
Kante is wanted by Makelele's former club Chelsea, who have jumped ahead of Manchester United in the race for his signature.
United have been tracking him all summer, while Real Madrid are ready to escalate their interest in him having given up on the fight to sign Paul Pogba from Juventus.
But they will all face stiff competition to get their man with Chinese Super League club Shanghai SIPD now hinting they may make an improved bid themselves.
more from football
His performances for France over the past six months have also caught the eye of Paris Saint-Germain who have made their interest in the midfielder well known.
But it is believed the midfielder would prefer to stay in the Premier League, with Chelsea the favourites to land his signature ahead of United and Arsenal.