Martin Keown has said he believes Chelsea star N’Golo Kante is the best defensive midfielder in the world right now.
The former Arsenal centre-back has spoken very highly of Kante following his exceptional Champions League final performance.
Keown said in the Daily Mail: “Right now, there is not a finer defensive midfielder in the world than the all-action Kante”.
The best uncapped Premier League XI right now
The Frenchman was paramount to Chelsea’s Champions League success after earning man of the match in both semi-finals as well as the final against Man City.
After starting the season in an unfamiliar position under Frank Lampard, Kante has begun to flourish again under the appointment of Thomas Tuchel.
Keown, who was a part of Arsenal’s Invincible squad, said:
“I was blessed to play behind Patrick Vieira and Gilberto Silva. Those players provide you with pure protection and you feel safer with them in front of you. Kante gives that to this Chelsea defence.”
Keown highlighted the number of honours Kante now has as an argument for his quality.
He said: “Now 30, Kante has won Premier League, Champions League, Europa League, FA Cup and World Cup medals.
“He is, quite simply, one of the game’s greats.”
Whispers are beginning to spread about the Chelsea midfielder being a Ballon d’Or contender. If he was to add a Euros trophy to his cabinet this summer then this could be a serious possibility.
Keown thinks he could be one of the best defensive midfielders to ever play the game after he said: “Is he the best ever? That is hard to say. You could definitely make a case.”
Kante was asked about his chances of winning the coveted Ballon d’Or in an interview following Chelsea’s Champions League victory.
The defensive midfielder told RMC Sport: “No, for the moment we are savouring the Champions League, the Euros are soon, I will join the France team and I hope to win that as well.”
Kante, who is known for his humble personality, is quickly becoming one of the most decorated players in the modern era of the Premier League.
The former Leicester player only needs to win the Carabao cup and the European Championship to have won every trophy currently available to him at club level and on the international stage.
The post Keown insists Chelsea hero is one of the ‘game’s greats’ appeared first on Football365.