Chelsea signed one of the greatest midfielders of their history following claims Arsenal didn't pursue the player enough
Kurt Zouma of Chelsea, Michy Batshuayi of Chelsea and N'Golo Kante of Chelsea pose with the Preimer League Trophy after the Premier League match between Chelsea and Sunderland
N'Golo Kante was a man in demand after Leicester City's title-winning(Image: Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images)
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Arsenal are the favourites to triumph over Chelsea as the two sides meet in the Premier League this afternoon. However, a decade ago, it was the Blues who were consistently getting the better of their north London opponents.
The two Premier League giants both expressed interest in acquiring N'Golo Kante following his outstanding performances in Leicester City's remarkable Premier League title-winning 2015/16 campaign. Yet, a transfer to the Emirates Stadium never came to fruition and he instead joined Chelsea in a £30million deal.
Approaching the conclusion of his debut season at Stamford Bridge - which delivered his second consecutive Premier League crown - Kante revealed he turned down a switch to Arsenal, then managed by Arsene Wenger, because the club didn't pursue him with sufficient determination.
In 2017, he told Sky Sports: "With Arsenal there was an interest but not a big as other clubs. That is why I didn't go to Arsenal and went to Chelsea." His spell at Stamford Bridge spanned seven years as he featured 269 times for the club and contributed to six major trophies, including the Champions League crown in the 2020/21 season when defeating Manchester City.
Before the European final against Pep Guardiola's team, Kante reflected on his footballing journey and disclosed how watching former Chelsea stars as a youngster inspired him to leave his mark on the sport.
"Growing up, coaches or team-mates might tell me that I resemble such-and-such a player," he shared with UEFA. "I was just someone who watched football; I would watch the games which interested me, without necessarily focusing on players in a similar position to mine.
N'Golo Kante (L) and Antonio Rudiger of Chelsea pose in the dressing room with the Champions League Trophy following their team's victory in the UEFA Champions League Final between Manchester City and Chelsea FC
N'Golo Kante won the Champions League with Chelsea
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"Whenever the international break came around, I would obviously watch France play. And getting to watch the likes of [Claude] Makélélé or Lassana Diarra, I drew inspiration from them at some point.
"But in the end, I'm not like them. I was lucky to be in touch with them and they're great players with their own career, and I have my own career and path at my side. I have had some chats with Claude since I came to Chelsea.
"He was here to give me advice on my play, and the impact I can have on the game. Being able to talk with him about that is beneficial for me because he knows the position."
Following his departure from Chelsea in 2023, he joined Al-Ittihad on a free transfer and spent two years there before making his European football comeback this year with Fenerbahce.
The Blues haven't clinched a league title since 2017 but they have the opportunity to disrupt Arsenal's title pursuit when they face the league frontrunners in north London this afternoon.
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