Todd Boehly Made Some Changes at Chelsea behind the scenes That could have an effect on N’Golo Kante
The return of N’Golo Kante ranks very high on the list of ways Chelsea could instantly become a better team.
Although it is oversimplified and the sample sizes are skewed, Chelsea have won just two of their six games this season without Kante while going unbeaten when he was on the field. The Frenchman’s injury against Tottenham two games into the season, which occurred in the second half, played a significant role in Thomas Tuchel’s demise at Chelsea.
After that, Tuchel was obliged to utilize Conor Gallagher and Jorginho as improvised pivots and the two struggled with tempo control, physicality, discipline, and defensive form. Tuchel was ultimately fired after losing to Dinamo Zagreb because he decided not to experiment with other formations with Carney Chukwuemeka or Billy Gilmour.
Kante’s significance just cannot be overstated. During Tuchel’s 58 seasons in command, he missed 19 Premier League games—nearly one out of every three—but he was still crucial, losing only four of the 44 games he did play. Chelsea did so by losing 26 goals while winning 25 of those games.
In contrast, Chelsea only won nine of the 19 games he didn’t play in, and they lost seven of them while giving up 28 goals. Due to the nature of the situation, Chelsea have a considerably higher probability of winning when Kante plays, even at the age of 31. When new contract talks are brought up, it is the issue that keeps coming up. Based on his little physical time spent watching Kante, Potter has a difficult choice to make with nine months left on his contract and the opportunity to negotiate a free move away in as few as three months.
He just recently started practicing on the field again, and even that is all. Potter will need to not only handle Kante brilliantly but also get the most out of him in order to have a solid run under his belt at a potentially season-defining time with nine matches in October alone and a busy schedule ahead of the winter World Cup, which Kante will really want to go to.
Though The Telegraph reports that medical director Paco Biosca will soon leave the club, his recuperation won’t be in the hands of a familiar face for very long. It is a part of the club’s ongoing revamp, which also includes a new manager and new directors and executives. Todd Boehly’s rule has so far left no one unaffected, and Biosca’s departure after 11 years suggests that Kante will lose another body close to him.
From the playing group he joined five years ago, only Cesar Azpilicueta and Ruben Loftus-Cheek are still with the club as of 2018. In that time, he has worked under four managers—including Potter—and the club has undergone significant upheaval. He may feel compelled to explore for greener pastures when serious talks begin in January because of this, and who can blame him?
Under Potter, a communication and emotional intelligence expert, Chelsea will understand that keeping Kante on in unfavorable situations is just as dangerous to his health as it is to his physique. It doesn’t make much business sense to make that man one of the highest paid players at the team and to commit to paying him.
Additionally, it is stated that first-team physician Dimitrios Kalogiannidis would act as acting medical department chief until a replacement is found. Given that Chelsea chose to utilize an American medical organization for Wesley Fofana’s fitness evaluations this summer, it’s possible that the incoming owners already have someone in mind. Taking care of Kante will be one of the most crucial duties for whoever ends up being appointed.
However, Biosca will be missed, and one of his greatest contributions may be credited with helping Eden Hazard maintain a largely injury-free career while playing for Chelsea. Despite frequently being the target of kicks and tackles during his time in the Premier League, the Belgian only missed 13 league games due to injury during his seven years in England.
He has missed 49 games since departing in 2019, possibly illustrative of the state of his recuperation under Chelsea’s care. With or without Biosca, Kante will need to work similar magic.