Paris Saint-Germain remain interested in signing Chelsea midfielder N’Golo Kante to further improve their squad this summer. As per reports, they are also ready to include Adrien Rabiot in this deal to lure the London club for negotiations.
There is a strong possibility for the Frenchman to stay back at Stamford Bridge and fulfil the extended contract he signed till 2021. However, nothing is guaranteed in football, and we may just see PSG swooping in for the player. In that case, Chelsea will require a quality replacement for the former Leicester City sensation.
Here are the three ideal replacements the Blues could turn to, if and when the Frenchman leaves.
Rabiot already seems to be included in the swap deal if it does materialise. The Frenchman has an abundance of talent with an ability to dominate the midfield on his own. Although he would not be a like-for-like replacement, Rabiot will strengthen various other aspects in the Chelsea midfield.
The 23-year-old is tall and can use his body to protect the ball from the defenders. He has a tremendous eye for spotting forward runs and supplying key passes towards the goal. He demonstrates a pass success rate of over 90%, indicating his ability to be assured in possession.
In addition to these, Rabiot often uses his height to be a threat from set-pieces as well. All in all, the Frenchman can bring many qualities to soften the blow.
Pjanic is a gem of a player, who can not only replace Kante but also act as an upgrade. The Bosnian’s technical ability, combined with match awareness is something out of the ordinary. He has done a terrific job for Juventus since joining from Roma.
Pjanic possesses extraordinary passing abilities and is blessed with an eye for a devilish through ball to cut a defence open. His passing success rate is over 90%, embodying this attribute.
Playing as a deep-lying midfielder, the 28-year-old has great defensive awareness as well to boost his overall game. He averaged 1.2 tackles and 2 interceptions per game last season.
Seri has been linked with several clubs this summer. The diminutive midfielder, who has a £35m release clause, is a powerhouse in the central areas of the pitch. He also possesses a great passing proclivity and an eye for fabricating chances from deeper positions. The 26-year-old had a pass success rate of 90.4% in the Ligue 1 last season and he supplied a total of 65 key passes.
Seri is not a tall player, but just like Kante, he has the turn of pace and great tenacity to win challenges in the midfield. Hence, he would be a great replacement for the prolific Frenchman who could move to Paris this summer.
