Jamie Carragher has named Chelsea midfielder N’Golo Kante as his Premier League player of 2016 in his Daily Mail column.
It’s difficult to argue with the Liverpool legend on this one. Kante’s influence for both Leicester and Chelsea has been remarkable. He was an integral part of the Foxes’ title-winning squad, with his stellar performances drawing widespread adulation.
He then moved to Stamford Bridge in a bid to further his career. The Daily Mail note that the Blues signed him for a £29.2 million fee, which in the current market, looks like an absolute steal. He has replicated last season’s form at Chelsea and it has inspired an 11-game win streak which has sent Antonio Conte’s side seven points clear at the summit of the Premier League.
Carragher revealed in his Daily Mail column how how impressed he has been with the French international this calendar year: “He doesn’t score many goals or provide many assists — he scored just one in 2016 and only created another two — but there hasn’t been a more influential player in the league.”
The frightening fact is, we likely haven’t seen the best of Kante yet.