This archive report was first published on 23 July 2019.
On July 23, 2019, Chelsea suffered a significant injury setback when French midfielder N'Golo Kante was sent back to the UK for rehabilitation after picking up a knee injury during the club's pre-season tour of Japan.
Chelsea manager Frank Lampard had been hopeful of having Kante at the start of the new Premier League season, praising the midfielder's outstanding performances in recent years.
"I think, I've said it out loud before, that Kante is one of the greatest midfield players in the world," Lampard said.
"In the last few years his performances have been outstanding, and one of the pleasures of me getting this job is that I am able to work with players of his quality," he added.
A Chelsea spokesman confirmed that Kante had travelled back to the UK to continue his rehabilitation for an injury connected to the knee problem he sustained at the end of last season.
