Former Chelsea defender Frank Leboeuf believes that N’Golo Kante may think about retiring and that the club should buy Josko Gvardiol.
Leboeuf was a World Cup winner with France in 1998 and also represented the team at the 2002 competition, and made his name with five years at Chelsea in the Premier League, before moving to Marseille.
At 54 he now maintains a career in acting, but retains interest in football, particularly Chelsea and the French national team.
That interest overlaps when it comes to Chelsea’s French midfielder N’Golo Kante, who is considered a starter for both teams when he is fit, but the 31-year-old has struggled with fitness in recent years and has played just two games for his club this season. That saw him miss out on the French World Cup campaign in Qatar, and Leboeuf thinks that Kante may even need to consider his future in the sport.
Leboeuf told Safe Betting Sites: “I haven’t spoken to Kante directly about his fitness and how he feels but it could be that he’s nearing the end of it [his career]. Because the thing is we have to understand that we are talking about a human being. Suddenly your body says okay, enough, leave me alone. The end of your career is also a part of your career, and you have to choose the right time to give up. Even if you don't want to and even if your football is great and you want to carry on.
“You have to give envy to people and not pity. So you have to make a decision in your own mind [regarding retirement]. You have to talk to your family and say maybe okay, it's over. So I don't know his shape but if he feels that he can serve Chelsea well then he should stay.”
One of the standout players in Qatar was Gvardiol, who plays his club football with RB Leipzig in Germany, and Leboeuf believes Chelsea should try to sign him despite his problems with Lionel Messi in the semi-final between Croatia and Argentina.
Leboeuf explained: “Gvardiol is a great player. He was turned inside out by Messi in the semi-final for that great goal but that was partly Dejan Lovren’s fault for not helping him and also the mask he was wearing probably didn’t help either [laughs]. I know I’m making excuses for him but he’s a great defender, he had a great World Cup and if Chelsea can get him, I say to the club, ‘Yes thank you.’”