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ESPN staff 7y

Frank Lampard: Chelsea's N'Golo Kante currently world's best midfielder

Chelsea legend Frank Lampard has told the BBC that N'Golo Kante is the best midfielder in the world on current form.

Kante, who joined from Leicester for a reported £30 million last summer, scored the only goal in Chelsea's FA Cup victory over Manchester United on Monday in an impressive overall display.

Lampard said there was no better player in the France international's position at present and compared the 25-year-old favourably to his former teammate Claude Makelele, who enjoyed a hugely successful career in a defensive midfield role for Real Madrid, Chelsea and France.

"I'd go as far to say that he's the best central midfield player in the world on current form, I really would," Lampard said in his punditry role for the BBC.

"I'd sort of compared him in my head to Makelele last year, and when he came to Chelsea I thought, 'Here's their Makelele,' but he's got even more to his game."

He added: "Looking at the way he's performing this year, he may not be scoring lots of goals but what he's giving to the team in the way he's playing, the driving force that he is, I cannot see anyone else out there in world football better than him at the moment."

Chelsea defender Gary Cahill also praised Kante after the match and said he had shown signs of improvement since helping Leicester to the Premier League title last season.

"N'Golo has been fantastic," Cahill told the BBC. "His performance level is right up there. You saw what he did last season but he has kicked on again this season.

"He is a humble guy off the pitch and works hard. He is so important, especially to us at the back. He's been a tremendous addition to the squad."

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