Chelsea midfielder N’Golo Kante has signed a new five-year deal to keep him at the club until 2023.
The France international has scored three goals in 81 Premier League appearances for the Blues after joining from Leicester City in 2016.
#FridayFeeling brought to you by @nglkante, who will be a Blue for five more years! ????#Kante2023 pic.twitter.com/evwr1rlKQ2
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) November 23, 2018
Kante helped the club to the Premier League title in his first season at Stamford Bridge.
“It has been two beautiful years and I wish for more to come,” said the 27-year-old.
“Since I came, I completely improved as a player, challenged myself and got some awards I never thought about.
“I like the city, I like the club and I am happy to be here for more time.”
Club director Marina Granovskaia also expressed delight. “We are delighted N’Golo has signed a new contract and sees his long-term future with Chelsea.
“When he arrived, we knew we had signed a special player but he has astounded everybody with his tireless and unselfish displays.
“Off the pitch, he remains a dedicated professional and a humble human being despite the fact he is a world champion and a two-time Premier League winner.
“We now look forward to five more years with N’Golo at the heart of the Chelsea midfield.”
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Kante made his Chelsea debut in our opening game of the 2016/17 season, producing a memorable midfield performance which combined high energy, athleticism and quality on the ball as we beat West Ham United 2-1 at Stamford Bridge.
It would be the first of many eye-catching displays by the Frenchman, who played in 35 of our 38 Premier League matches and became a vital cog in the 3-4-3 formation which served us so well during that campaign.
Kante and Nemanja Matic formed a solid midfield pairing as the Blues embarked upon a 13-match winning run that propelled us to the top of the table.
Included in that sequence was a 4-0 win over Manchester United, an afternoon on which Kante scored his first goal for the club, collecting a smart Pedro flick and easing away from the challenge of Chris Smalling before applying a stylish finish to put the seal on the victory. Later in the season, against the same opponents, Kante’s long-range strike proved decisive as we came out on top in an FA Cup quarter-final.
After a 2-1 win over West Ham at the London Stadium, Eden Hazard famously said he felt as though there were two Kantes in our team due to the distances the midfielder was able to cover.
Having ended the previous campaign, at Leicester, with a Premier League winner’s medal, Kante’s maiden season at Stamford Bridge culminated in the same manner, and it was no surprise when individual accolades followed.
Kante was voted as the PFA Player of the Year, as well as being named Footballer of the Year by the Football Writers’ Association, having also been one of four Chelsea players in the Premier League Team of the Season.
