Chelsea: £30m star now 'real problem and worry' at Stamford Bridge | OneFootball

Chelsea midfielder N’Golo Kante‘s injuries are a concern for Graham Potter, according to journalist Simon Phillips.

The France international is currently nursing a hamstring problem and hasn’t played since the middle of August against Tottenham.

What’s the latest news involving Kante?

Kante has been a key player since arriving for £30m in 2016, winning the Premier League, FA Cup, Europa League, Champions League, Super Cup and Club World Cup during six successful years at Stamford Bridge.

But his injuries have really started to tot up in recent years, with Kante no longer someone Chelsea can consistently rely on.

In fact, since the beginning of the 2019-2020 campaign, Kante has missed more than 50 matches in all competitions, seven of which have come this season, while he has started less than 70 games in the top-flight during that period.

Kante, who currently earns £290,000 per-week, has been suffering from various knee and muscle problems, forcing him to spend long spells on the sidelines.

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His current setback came in the draw with Spurs six weeks ago, with the experienced midfielder sustaining a hamstring problem in the latter stages, which he continues to recover from.

As a result, Phillips reckons that with his injuries showing no signings of letting up, it’s becoming a real issue for Chelsea.

What did Phillips say about Kante?

He told GIVEMESPORT: “I looked at a stat the other day and Kante has missed 50 per cent of games that he could be available for in the last two seasons, so that’s a real problem and worry.”

Could Kante return against Crystal Palace?

Kante might have been forced to miss both of France’s Nations League games in recent days, which is far from ideal preparation ahead of the World Cup.

But in better news, the ex-Leicester City star is back training at Chelsea’s Cobham ground as he steps up his recovery from his latest setback.

It’s not yet become clear whether Kante is in contention to feature at Crystal Palace, but him being fit enough to train gives him the opportunity to work alongside Potter for the very first time.