[caption id="" align="alignnone" /> The Leicester City midfielder has completed a £30 million switch to Stamford Bridge and should give Antonio Conte plenty of options to remodel his formation.[/caption]
N’Golo Kante is on the verge of a move from Leicester City to Chelsea for roughly £30 million and will bring a new set of qualities to the London club which they were lacking last season as they finished in 10th place.
The Premier League champion is a supremely athletic player who tirelessly scraps in midfield to win back possession and looks a great choice as Antonio Conte's second signing of the summer.
He plays in a role made famous by Chelsea legend Claude Makelele but differs somewhat from his compatriot as he is better at imposing his physicality on opponents without being quite as good at reading the game.
The signing of Kante will have implications for the current players in Chelsea's squad, midfield having been a key area of improvement identified by the new manager.
For one thing, Kante's athleticism might offer Cesc Fabregas more freedom to indulge his creativity and passing. The Spain international struggled last season and was often seen chasing back to defend, rather than playing on the ball and finding space to play with his head up.
Fabregas and Nemanja Matic were a devastating partnership in the 2014-15 season as Jose Mourinho's side won the title but they began last season unfit and never recovered.
Matic's problems were both mental and physical but his ability is not something that fans should doubt as he looked to be one of the players most affected by Mourinho's below-par pre-season preparations.
The Serbian is a former No.10 who was turned into a ball-winning midfielder and that enjoyment of being on the ball remains part of his game. It is something which Kante could help to bring out once again.
Matic has been linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge and some might draw the conclusion that he will be directly replaced by Kante but there could be room for both of them, especially if Conte opts for a five-man midfield.
Conte likes to play a 3-5-2 formation but is highly adaptable to the talent at his disposal. He has a history of using a 4-2-4 formation as well, despite it going against the stereotype of defensive-minded Italian coaches.
The Blues boss might also consider a 4-5-1 formation as Chelsea have a long history of playing with only one up front and it would allow both Fabregas and Cesar Azpilicueta a starting spot while giving Michy Batshuayi a chance to adapt more slowly to the Premier League.
Conte's first press conference revealed the tactical and physical demands that his players will face this pre-season as they take double training sessions to get ready for their new campaign.
"When I was in Italy, I liked to say that the manager and coach is like a tailor that must build the dress for the team," Conte said at his unveiling by Chelsea. "You have to respect the characteristics and the talent of the players, then you decide [the formation].
"The Premier League has a high intensity and is more physical compared to other tournaments. To win, you must play attractive football but you must have a great physical condition."
Kante would be the perfect signing to set the standard to the other players of how far fitness and work-rate can get you in modern football.
- Goal