Kante refusing to listen to Juventus rumours

Niels Hofma

N’Golo Kante insists he has heard nothing of interest from Juventus and says he is only focused on Leicester’s title bid.

Kante has been instrumental in the Foxes’ unlikely surge to the top of the Premier League having joined the club from Caen last summer in a £56.6million deal.

The France international’s form has sparked interest from across Europe, with Italian media outlets claiming Juventus could swoop if Paul Pogba leaves Turin this summer.

Kante, though, says he has not been approached directly.

“I’m only focused on Leicester. We have a season to finish, otherwise I haven’t heard anything,” he told Sky Sports.

“As long as a club doesn’t approach me directly, I don’t pay too much attention to the rumours. The Premier League is a competition that suits me, which is perhaps more praise to myself.

“It’s more direct, more rhythmic than Ligue 1. My team also gives me value. My team defends very well, it works hard not to concede goals and everyone in the team defends.

“Then we try to go forward quickly when we have the ball. I think the quality of my team helped me show my value.”

Kante has made 29 Premier League appearances so far this season, with the Foxes currently five points clear at the summit. The 24-year-old has credited Claudio Ranieri for his form and Leicester’s title bid.

“On the defensive side, he insisted on a few points for me earlier in the season; when to drop back and change my position, so I help defenders in the defensive phase,” Kante said.

“He also gave us confidence by telling us that we were a good team, we could do something in the Premier League, something we could maintain. That’s how he manages the group. He manages the group very well.”