Barcelona to face Atletico Madrid battle in free transfer pursuit of Chelsea icon | OneFootball

Barcelona will once again dip their toes in the free transfer market come summer and one of the names that have been heavily linked with the Catalan giants is Chelsea midfielder N’Golo Kante.

The 31-year-old is in the final five months of his contract with Chelsea and considering the plethora of options they have in midfield, the Blues could allow the Frenchman to leave in the summer.

Kante, who is currently in the final phase of his recovery from a hamstring injury, has thus emerged as a potential target for Barcelona, who are in the market for midfield reinforcements.

However, according to fresh reports in British media, as relayed by Mundo Deportivo, Atletico Madrid have also entered the fray for the signing of Kante.

The Rojiblancos are said to be looking to revamp their squad in the summer and have identified the 2018 FIFA World Cup winner as a target, due to his availability for a free transfer in the summer.

The report suggests that Atletico Madrid are among the clubs who have already ‘knocked on the doors’ for Kante, having made contact with his representatives to explore the possibility of a transfer.

Past reports had suggested that Kante would be open to joining Barcelona. It has even been claimed that the Frenchman had been pushing the club for a decision, while the Catalans are waiting to see how he fares once he returns from injury.

A contract renewal with Chelsea is not off the table either for Kante. But the recent signing of Enzo Fernandez and the focus on youth under the new ownership could lead to the Frenchman’s exit.

With the likes of Atletico Madrid and Barcelona interested, Kante will not be short of suitors in case he does become available for free in the summer.