Former Barcelona forward Gary Lineker has claimed that Chelsea midfielder N'Golo Kante "would be the perfect signing" for the Spanish champions.

Kante has starred for France at the 2018 World Cup, helping his team reach the final of the competition with a string of impressive performances.

Earlier this week, it was claimed that the Blues had begun negotiations with Kante over a new contract at Stamford Bridge, but the departure of Antonio Conte as head coach has led to speculation that the midfielder could leave.

Barcelona have reportedly made an approach for Kante over the last few days, and Lineker has urged the Catalan giants to complete a deal for the 27-year-old.

"Kante would be the perfect signing," Lineker told L'Equipe. "He played for my club, Leicester, but N'Golo has been for me, until now, the best player of this World Cup.

"He's someone who plays at the service of his teammates. With Kante, France play with 12. He's worth two midfielders. Kante is everywhere. The quality of his passing is excellent, he crosses the lines and looks forward.

"Frankly, it's a great advantage to have a Kante on your team. He's one of the keys to the trajectory of this French team. I'm a Kante fan. In his position, he's the best player I've ever seen. In terms of recovery, he reads the game incredibly and captures impossible balls.

"He runs everywhere and is a true pickpocket. The way he steals the ball from the feet of opposing players, without them noticing it, is incredible, plus he always gets back up quickly and cleanly."

Kante's France team will face Croatia in the final of the World Cup on Sunday afternoon.