Once a target, N’Golo Kante is no longer one for the brains at the Camp Nou. Rakitic being expected to stay is one of the key reason behind this.
As per amp.sportsmole.co.uk, Barcelona are likely to pull out of the race to sign the star in Kante, handing Madrid in what could potentially be a free run towards the Midfielder.
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Rakitic is unhappy at Barca and that is a fact. Moreover, he was heavily tipped to leave the Catalan Giants this January but it turns out the Croatian is actually expected to stay, hinting that he might actually have a role to play in Valverde’s plans.
Kante was a target last year and Barcelona were expected to land him this summer. The 28 year-old has been really impressive off late with his performances and he might possibly rule the upcoming window.
Valverde should decide and act quick on his decision surrounding the Frenchman. He is likely to be a hot target this transfer window Barcelona should start their preparations if they are to land him. However, on the flip side of the coin, if Rakitic is expected to stay, the management should figure out a way to get him some play time as the squad has been lacking in experience in the middle of the pitch.
While Ernesto’s plans have mainly been around getting a major squad overhaul done, landing Kante does seem a bit illogical. He’s 28 sand he won’t be at his prime, let’s 4 years down the line. In a better alternative to Kante, the management could decide to go for Max Meyer who has faded away. He still has a lot of potential with him and if groomed in the right way, he could prove to be a lethal weapon in the middle of the pitch.
Only time will tell where this saga is going to lead one.