N'Golo Kante has given assurances to Chelsea fans that he has no intention of leaving the Premier League club amid speculation linking Real Madrid with a move for the French World Cup-winning midfielder. Kante, 28, joined Chelsea in the summer of 2016 after playing a pivotal role in Leicester City's improbable Premier League triumph. The midfielder carried his form to his new club and was central to their league title victory the next season, collecting the PFA, FWA and Premier League Player of the Year awards in the process. More than three seasons after moving to Stamford Bridge Kante remains one of the club's most important players and last November signed a five-year contract that will keep him in west London until 2023. However, that has not prevented interest from other clubs, with Real Madrid chief among them as fellow Frenchman Zinedine Zidane looks to continue shaping his squad for his second era as manager. While Real Madrid's interest swiftly turned the heads of Kante's former teammates Thibaut Courtois and Eden Hazard, the France international said in an interview with French television programme <em>Telefoot</em> that his future lies at Chelsea. “Of course [I could finish my career at Chelsea], today I am with Chelsea until 2023," he said. "So, in my head, I hope to continue to have great seasons with Chelsea until 2023." Chelsea were expected to experience a transition season this year following the exit of star player Hazard and the club's transfer ban preventing manager Frank Lampard from replacing the Belgian forward and further strengthening his squad. Instead, the Blues are on an 11-match unbeaten run, including a six-game winning run in the Premier League to sit in third place, and Kante believes he can add to his trophy haul at the club which currently consists of one league title, one FA Cup, and the 2019 Europa League. "Today at Chelsea, I have had three wonderful years winning titles," he said. "I think that it is a club that has helped me a lot and I hope that I will be able to win a lot more titles here." After the international break, Chelsea resume domestic duties with a trip to defending league champions Manchester City on November 23.
