EPL 2016/17: 5 former Chelsea players Antonio Conte would have loved in his squad

#4 Claude Makelele

Makelele is the only player in the modern era to have a position named after him

Chelsea wasted no time in signing N’Golo Kante at the start of this season and the Frenchman has quickly become a fan favourite at Stamford Bridge. But before he arrived, Chelsea fans would have considered Claude Makelele to be one of the greatest defensive midfielders to play for the club. The now-retired midfielder was so important in breaking up opposition play and starting a counter attack that he became a vital cog in nearly every team that he played for.

Makelele was so good at what he did that many referred to the defensive midfield position as the ‘Makelele role’. While he wasn’t a goal scorer during his playing days, he brought so much more to the side from a defensive perspective. The Frenchman was one of the key members of the Chelsea side that won back-to-back Premier League titles between 2004-2006.

Conte likes a tireless midfielder who is efficient in stopping the opposition from moving forward with ease, while also having a good range of passing. Kante is currently doing a similar job for Chelsea in that role but there is no doubt that Makelele would have been equally impressive.