N’GOLO KANTE could have signed for Middlesbrough in 2013 had the Teesside outfit listened to the advice of one eagle-eyed fan.
Boro supporter Dennis Abbott called on the club to make a move for the Frenchman while he was on holiday in Normandy.
Abbott watched Kante play for Caen in 2013 – two years before Leicester poached him from Ligue 1 in a £5.6million deal.
And, having recognised his enormous talent, he immediately brought the midfielder to Boro’s attention.
The fan labelled the Frenchman ‘an outstanding creative player’ in a tweet sent to the Teesside club.
Abbott wrote: “Boro scouts, tell Tony Mowbray to check out Caen midfielder N’Golo Kante before Wenger gets him. Top top player.”
The club acknowledged Abbott’s comment, saying it had been ‘passed on to scouts’.
The fan continued: “That’s great. He’s an outstanding creative player, winning plaudits from media & players alike.”
Rather dismissively, Boro replied: “Thanks Dennis – they’re going to look.”
Fast forward to the present and Kante has won the 2018 World Cup and two-time Premier League winner – while also winning the Champions League last season at Chelsea.
He played the key role in Leicester’s miraculous Premier League triumph in 2016 – before moving to Chelsea for £30m later that summer.
The Frenchman has since then won the Premier League again, the FA Cup and the Europa League title – cementing his reputation as one of the world’s best midfielders.
And Boro fans are fuming they missed out on such a gem, with one joking: “Dodged a bullet here lads, I’m glad we ended up with Lee Tomlin instead.”
Another tweeted: “Hey Boro, have ya fired the scouts yet?”
A third wrote: “Can we get Tony Mowbray’s evaluation at the time?”
Meanwhile one simply said: “This is mental to be honest.”
