Manchester United are reportedly 'conscious' of being used as leverage in N'Golo Kante's contract renewal negotiations with Chelsea following reports of the Red Devil's interest.
Erik ten Hag was thought to be interested in signing the 31-year-old this summer as he looks to plan a rebuild at Old Trafford.
However, as reported by Goal, Man United are concerned that they might be 'being used as leverage' in the Frenchman's contract talks with Chelsea.
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The article states that Kante 'fits the profile' of the style of midfielder that new boss Ten Hag wants to bring to Old Trafford.
Despite Kante seemingly being the perfect fit for the Dutchman, the club are concerned that Kante's representatives are using their name to give the midfielder an upper hand in contract negotiations at Chelsea, with the interest being seen as a 'bargaining tool'.
His current deal expires in 2023, with Thomas Tuchel previously admitting that he is looking to sort out his midfielder's future this summer, along with Jorginho.
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"Nobody wants that with big players and important players nowadays (to lose on free transfers)," the Blues boss said. "It's a wish as a coach that we solve this in the summer in any way, that we solve it and it's clear where the journey is and what the decision is. Yes, this is the wish.
"(If not) we have the same talks that we have had about Toni (Antonio Rudiger) and Andreas (Christensen). You just swap the names. We would talk about it through winter and then comes January, and then agents are talking to this club and the brother another."
Goal continue to reveal that Man United are worried about Kante's injury record and this could prevent them from making a move.
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The 31-year-old missed several matches of the season through injury, seeing Ruben Loftus-Cheek step into a central midfield role on occasion.
Tuchel praised the impact of Kante but admitted frustration with his injury-hit season as he continued: "He can make the difference but he can only make the difference on the pitch and at the top level, this is our target for him. He is one of the very best midfielders in the world.
"Because he is not in the spotlight, he is even more important of the team. He has the mentality of a water carrier and this makes the difference. Big teams need this. It's why everyone loves to play with him."
It remains to be seen as to what the future holds for the French star, with his contract coming to an end in 2023 and Chelsea planning a summer rebuild under Tuchel.
Topics: Chelsea, NGolo Kante, Manchester United, Erik Ten Hag, Thomas Tuchel
Nick Emms