Chelsea rejected flatly the offer coming from Inter Milan. The Serie A outfit would want to sign N'Golo Kante this summer but for lack of available cash, a player swap deal was proposed. The Italians hinted Blues boss Frank Lampard can get Christian Eriksen or Marcelo Brozovic for the Frenchman but were rebuffed.
Lampard informed Inter that none of the players offered on the table interest him and there is no way Kante will send to Italy on a swap deal. Chelsea's position dashed the hopes of Inter boss Antonio Conte to reunite with the World Cup winner. The two worked before when Conte was calling the shots at Stamford Bridge and it appears now the Italian coach will need to find the best way to conduct business with the Blues.
The Daily Mail said Kante is not exactly untouchable. Lampard has a roster of midfielders that can be marked for sale to balance the Chelsea books and Jorginho can be made available or even Kante if the price is right.
The Chelsea boss has already made clear that Kante is a prized asset at Stamford and rivals acquiring the 29-year-old will not be easy. In Inter's case, the full value of the plater must be met.
"A substantial cash bid for Kante, rather than swap deals, would likely be considered," said the report.
It is understood that Conte's side could propose a loan deal for the target signing but considering such an offer seemed not on the priority list of Lampard. Instead, the Blues manager is focused on completing the signings he plotted for the summer transfer window.
Reports said Rennes goalkeeper Edouard Mendy is close to signing a deal, which when finalized will likely be the replacement for troubled Kepa Arrizabalaga. However, Lampard is keeping mum on the supposed agreement and insisted that talking about players not in the Chelsea roster is not right.
The coach likewise addressed the big signings he made in recent weeks that will see Hakim Ziyech, Timo Werner, Ben Chilwell, Thiago Silva, Kai Havertz, and Malang Sarr suiting up for the Blues next season. Lampard noted that his side made several exciting acquisitions but reminded the real work is just starting.
"Hopefully we did it in a good way, we should be excited with a word of caution to get them settled into the team as soon as possible. The work starts now," Metro reported the Chelsea manager as saying.
Also, Lampard said that while the Chelsea lineup got a significant boost this summer, he is not promising immediate results. Pundits though are convinced that the Blues are in a strong position to snatch the Premier League crown away from current holder Liverpool.
