Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink thinks N'Golo Kante's contract should be renewed by Chelsea and that the France international will gain from missing the World Cup due to injury.
Due to a hamstring injury acquired in the 2-2 draw against Tottenham Hotspur in August, Kante has only played twice for Chelsea this season. The 31-year-old was on the verge of returning in October when he encountered a setback, and it was agreed that he should have surgery to address the problem.
By the time February rolls around, the midfielder will have just five months left on his Stamford Bridge contract due to his recuperation. And while Chelsea's new ownership group has initiated potential discussions to extend the Frenchman's contract, no agreement has been reached.
The prospect of Kante leaving Chelsea on a free transfer at the end of this season is a very real possibility – and one few supporters could have envisaged after his magnificent performances during the Blues' run to the 2021 Champions League under Thomas Tuchel.
Yet despite various concerns over Kante's fitness, Hasselbaink – who made 177 appearances for the Blues and scored 87 goals – believes Chelsea would be making a mistake in letting the two-time Premier League champions walk away for nothing next summer.
"Kante deserves it [a new contract] and to replace him would take one hell of a signing," Hasselbaink, speaking on behalf of Grosvenor Casinos, told football.london earlier this month. "I think Kante has been overworked; he played a lot of matches in a really short time. It was going to catch up with him.
"Hopefully not going to the World Cup with France will do him well. That is not what he would want to hear but I think not going will be great for Chelsea because he can get healthy and go again. So I would definitely renew Kante’s contract."
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