Arsene Wenger reveals he failed to sign N'Golo Kante for Arsenal twice after being beaten by Chelsea last summer
Wenger attempted to sign Kante from French side Caen before he joined Leicester, but the Arsenal manager has now revealed that he also lost out to Chelsea in the race to sign the midfielder
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Arsène Wenger admitted for the first time today that he tried to sign N’Golo Kante from Leicester City last summer before the French midfielder joined Chelsea.
Wenger will face Kante at Stamford Bridge tomorrow and has been an admirer of the diminutive midfielder for years, saying today it is “no coincidence” he is at the heart of his second consecutive title-winning side. Wenger first looked at Kante when he was still an unheralded youngster playing for Caen but never completed the deal.
Kante moved to Leicester City in 2015 and Wenger tried in earnest to bring him to the Emirates that season. But Kante moved to Chelsea instead for £32m, the first signing of Antonio Conte’s time at Stamford Bridge.
Asked at his press conference this morning whether he had tried to sign Kante, Wenger confirmed that he had tried twice. “When he was in France, and when he was at Leicester,” Wenger said.
When asked why Kante joined Chelsea not Arsenal, Wenger said it was “obvious” given his eventual destination, implying that it owed to Roman Abramovich’s side’s financial firepower. “I cannot explain everything but it is quite obvious when you look where he has gone,” Wenger said. “I do not want to talk about it, transfers are transfers. You cannot explain absolutely everything.”
Arsenal would certainly be a very different prospect with Kante in midfield. Wenger is still a great admirer of his, pointing out today how the integration of Kante has had a “huge impact” on Chelsea’s season, and that it is “no coincidence” Kante is on the verge of winning the Premier League with two different clubs in consecutive seasons, the first outfield player ever to do so.
While Kante started the season playing in a midfield three, the switch to a 3-4-3 system has allowed Kante to move into a two, making the most of his running power. That, more than anything else, explains why the formation change has transformed Chelsea’s season.
“When we beat them 3-0, I didn’t expect them to go on a 13-game winning streak, but I feel they found a better defensive balance,” Wenger said. “They are very good in transition. I watched their game against Liverpool and Kante had a huge impact in their team. It’s no coincidence that they are in the position that they are and Leicester were in the position they were last season.”
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments