Chelsea midfielder N’Golo Kante believes that the £40m signing of Tiemoue Bakayoko from Monaco will more than make up for the departure of Nemanja Matic to Manchester United.
Kante played alongside Matic very successfully as the Blues clinched the Premier League title last season, and although some pundits and former players have bemoaned the Serbian’s departure, the French international is confident that his new midfield partner will have what it takes to fill the void. He is quoted by the Evening Standard as saying:
“For sure, Nemanja Matic was a good player for us. I know he was in Chelsea for many years. I had the chance to play one year with him and he was a very good player for me. We spent a good season together. He [has] left now, he plays for United but Bakayoko has come and I think he’s a good player, and that we can do very well with him.”
The PFA player of the year has already partnered Bakayoko twice in midfield this season, coming in the 2-1 win away victory against Tottenham, and in the club’s last Premier League win away against Leicester City last weekend.
With Kante still only 26, and Bakayoko just turning 23, the pair of them could well be the steady midfield foundation for both Chelsea and for France for years to come.
