Chelsea might already have perfect N’Golo Kante replacement – and stats say he could be even better

Finding a replacement for N'Golo Kante might have been a daunting task for Mauricio Pochettino when he first arrived at Chelsea.

But the Blues boss, who arrived in the summer, might have stumbled across the perfect solution — without spending a penny.

Conor Gallagher has turned his Chelsea career around after nearly being sold in the summer transfer window and now is an integral part of the squad.

And while stepping into Kante's boots at Stamford Bridge is no easy task for any player of any ilk — the 23-year-old is on the right path.

Chelsea truly suffered last season without the midfield destroyer mopping up danger, finishing 10th as new owners Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital walked into a baptism of fire.

Kante was restricted to just six starts in the Premier League due to ongoing injury problems with his hamstring and groin.

The season before, he proved crucial to Chelsea's Champions League success as he put in man-of-the-match performances against Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid en route to the final.

Pep Guardiola could not foil the Frenchman as he made mincemeat of Manchester City's attacking force in the final, as Kai Havertz's solitary goal was enough to upset the odds.

The absence of Kante, then, in such a volatile season for Chelsea proved to be one of the catalysts for their fall from grace that saw Thomas Tuchel and then Graham Potter sacked.

Boehly went big on a replacement, bringing in Enzo Fernandez in January and Moises Caicedo in the summer for combined fees of £222million.

However, Gallagher has been the one to step up this season and become a fan favourite due to his hearty attitude and non-stop battery — sound familiar?

And the stats show that the England international is on course to match Kante — and could