The 22-year-old right-back is shining in the Eredivisie and has attracted attention from all over Europe, but all of his focus is on becoming a legend at Stamford Bridge

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As a 22-year-old shining in his first spell abroad, Todd Kane has already attracted a lot of attention. Having spent this season on loan as the undisputed first choice right-back at NEC in the Eredivisie, the likes of Ajax, PSV, Feyenoord, Southampton, Newcastle and, he admits, even Borussia Dortmund have shown an interest. That attraction is not mutual, though, as Kane has just one goal on his mind: becoming a Chelsea legend.The defender has been on the books at the Stamford Bridge club for 15 years, but is yet to feature for the first team. Loan spells at Preston North End, Blackburn Rovers, Bristol City and Nottingham Forest have seen him develop and gain experience. His foray into foreign lands with the Nijmegen side has him most excited, however, and has only spurred him further on in his dream of turning out as a regular for the Premier League side."I don’t just want to play one or two games for Chelsea," he told. "If they offered me a 10-year contract, I’d take it now. I support Chelsea, I’ve been there a long time, my whole family is from the area - it’s the ultimate goal."What you saw with Ryan Giggs at Manchester United, that’s what I want to be at Chelsea."A lot of clubs are interested. Clubs came in for me in January, but I had a talk with Chelsea. Everything has gone well here [at NEC] and I don’t want to change that."I signed for NEC for a year and I’m not the type of person to go against his word, even though the clubs that were interested were very big and it’d be nice to play there."I could have gone but I felt that at this time in my career, I should just keep going. Don’t fix what isn’t broken.A club trying to salvage the best out of a catastrophic season, the Blues could perhaps do with a homegrown hero emerging as the new Mr. Chelsea. With iconic midfielder Frank Lampard following Ashley Cole out of the door at Stamford Bridge and the very personification of the club in John Terry, seemingly, on his way out this summer, the London side have lost a significant English core over the last few years.This season, Terry, Gary Cahill and Ruben Loftus-Cheek are the only English players to have featured for the senior squad. And in Kane’s view, it’s time new blood emerged to lead the club onto further glory. They have enough talent, he says, and he has his mind set on becoming a long-term fan favourite in the English capital."When I was younger, we were probably the best academy in the country, one of the best in the world," he adds. "We would go to tournaments and win them. I’ve won a lot with reserves and youth teams."I think it’s time for someone like myself or from the group of us who won the youth cup [to come through], and there will be a time when a few lads get into the team. When that’ll be I don’t know, but it will happen."I’ve got about nearly 100 games so they can’t say anything about my experience. I’m learning all the time."At his age, it would be ideal to be gaining regular first-team football in a long-term deal. While the England Under-19 international is aware that Chelsea’s unpredictable youth policy means he has no guarantees of a future in the senior squad, he sees no reason to worry. He has options, is sure of his talent and confident his work rate will see him through."Unless I get the boot, I’m not going anywhere. If clubs in the Championship come in for me, and I’m sure there will be a few, I wouldn’t do it. If there was a club in Europe, I’d choose that over the Championship," he said."If I have to go on loan or anything to get my chance [with Chelsea], whatever it is, I’ll do it. But if it’s not Chelsea, then I’m sure there’ll be other clubs."The freedom to make mistakes in a new, more relaxed environment has benefited him immensely, but crucially, Kane knows the areas he has to develop to put him in good stead to achieve his dream."I want to keep getting better at defending. To go to a high level, which I want to do, I have to be a very good defender."Chelsea watch every game and I get good feedback about what I’m doing wrong and right. I’m learning that way, so they are always helping me."Starting next season with a new manager, [Antonio Conte], I could go back to Chelsea and have a pre-season, get my head down and fingers crossed he might like me. We’ll see what happens."That clubs are already on the lookout for him is no surprise. Kane has impressed in the Dutch top flight and has been an ever-present in Ernest Faber’s starting XI from the beginning of the season.NEC have enjoyed a prosperous campaign upon their return to the first tier, and are still in with a chance of reaching the Europa League play-offs.Kane has been pivotal to their recent good form. The loanee showed his attacking potency in the Amsterdam ArenA by setting up both of his side’s goals in a 2-2 draw against Ajax - preventing the latter from topping the table. He then put in a solid display in the derby win over Vitesse, keeping his side lurking around the top seven.A sound crosser of the ball and composed in possession, his attacking nature has been a constant in his career, but as a well-rounded full-back who is part of a defensively organised team, he is developing off the ball too."I’ve been told that in attack Chelsea have never questioned me. Coming to Netherlands, I’ve learned a lot on the defensive side. It helps when the game is slower, you can look and balance yourself more and learn a bit."I love the playing style - it’s all about football, which is how I’ve been brought up."There’s a big difference [in the training here]. In England, you have about an hour and a half and it’s all high intensity, but then that’s you finished because there’s always thick and fast games.Loftus-Cheek's emergence at Chelsea will give Kane hope of achieving his dream"Here, we train for two and a half or three hours, then you come to a game and it goes by quickly. There’s a good intensity, and it’s about possession and things like that and it’s all with the ball."It’s a country where you can develop as a youngster. I’m a technical player, I like to play and build up from the back – how football is supposed to be played. I would advise any lad in my position to come over here."Kane is also a very honest and vocal player. At a club which tends to hand the leadership responsibilities to the most senior squad members, he does his fair share of talking and organising on the pitch, shouting to team-mates, pointing out runs and remaining aware of the danger surrounding him."That’s always been me – communicating and just being a leader on the pitch. In the dressing room, I’m not that type of person. I like to concentrate on preparing myself right for the game. On the pitch I like to play my own game and express myself, say how I feel, organise or whatever. I’m just myself on the pitch."With Chelsea keeping a close eye on him and NEC and Faber helping him improve, he feels he has enough expertise and guidance to develop the right way. Perhaps most importantly, however, he has belief in himself, the wisdom to keep himself on the right track and the unconditional support of his family.“My family have always been backing me. They come to every home game,” he adds. “I get them flights out here. They come to the big away games and I sort the travel out.“I’m not just doing this whole journey for me. It’s for my mum, dad, little sister and brother. I’m doing it for them. That’s why I’m dedicated. Not every person has that support.“I have a tight circle of family and friends. I have to keep that close to me. I don’t let people come in and go out – I’ve got my three best mates back home and a couple of close friends in football, but that’s as far as it goes.“I don’t get involved in all the other stuff. I’m my own person. I don’t let people jump on the bandwagon – that’s not my kind of thing. I’ve stuck to my roots, same friends, and I won’t change anything like that.”With his ability and the positive environment in which he surrounds himself, Kane is confident he will achieve his life goal of becoming a Blues hero. For the moment, he is concentrating on developing to reach the required level.“My agent had a meeting with Chelsea,” he adds. “You have one year away, you go back, sit down and have a talk about the coming season.“I’m not thinking about next year at all. I’ll get this year out the way, get my head down, and then come the end of the season I’ll review it. I’m not back at Chelsea until July, so there’s time to go on holiday, think, have meetings and see what options are on the table.”The options will be plentiful and lucrative for a dedicated and skilled player, but there is only one he is really interested in. The rest is down to Chelsea.