Declan Rice would be an upgrade on N'Golo Kante for Chelsea, claims former Tottenham and England striker Darren Bent.
Rice, 21, is one of the most impressive young players in the Premier League and has made the breakthrough into Gareth Southgate's England team.
Kante, a two-time Premier League winner and a World Cup winner with France, has battled form and fitness in recent seasons and Bent feels acquiring Rice would be an 'upgrade' for Blues boss Frank Lampard.
'For me, Declan Rice would be an upgrade,' Bent said on talkSPORT. 'Not only because he can play that role really, really well, he can get about the pitch, has got good energy, reads the game really well.
'Not only that as well, he can drop into centre half, that's two positions he can play.
'N'Golo Kante has been a superb footballer and still is a great footballer. He won the Premier League with Leicester, went to Chelsea and won the Premier League and won the World Cup back in 2018 and I just think for a season and a half now he's not played in that role we know he is so good at.
'Maybe (Maurizio) Sarri was on to something because he felt he wasn't quick enough in possession to play him there.
'Sarri got absolutely killed for not playing him there but Frank (Lampard) has come in and done the same thing and no-one has really said anything.'
More to follow.
D1-ng
542
Believe it or not, even Ampadu is better than rice talkless of Kante. Rice cover the plate but Kante contain the entire pitch.
ishti
481
We know about English football experts, for them Mason Mount will be an upgrade over Mbappe in PSG.
Openminded
469
I totally don't blame Darren Bent. I blame the one who interviewed him. If he is interviewed again he would say Maguire is an upgrade of Ramos, Sancho an upgrade of Ronaldo and himself and upgrade of Messi.
kross5
413
Really Bent??! Kante went for a bike ride and accidentally won Tour de France ๐ ๐ ๐ ... And you're opening your mouth about energy of your overrated english boy
ChelseaFCaddict
384
The effects of Marijuana This is embarrassing ๐คฆ๐พโโ๏ธ what a clownn! I mean Kante has proven himself to be one of the best CDM in the world. He's already a French national team Legend, Leicester city Legend and Chelsea Legend! Premier league title ร2 FA cup Europa league World Cup #Lampard retired w/o World cup Steven Gerrard retired w/o World cup and the Premier league David Beckham retired w/o World cup Paul scholes retired w/o World cup yet this are England legends . Please respect Kante he's a legend.