Chelsea have confirmed midfielder, N’Golo Kante is leaving the club officially on June 30 on a free transfer.
The 32-year-old is set to move to the Saudi Pro League to join newly-crowned champions Al-Ittihad on a three-year contract.
Prior, Kante was in talks with Chelsea over a new deal which was never finalised now with a reported fee of €86 million ($109.78 million) per year the French World Cup winner will move to the Middle East.
Chelsea already bade farewell to Kante in a lengthy message on their official website, which includes a tribute from co-sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley. “N’Golo’s impact and influence during his time at Chelsea cannot be overstated,” their statement reads.
“His tireless performances in midfield contributed to several trophy wins and has guaranteed him a place in the club’s history. We wish him well as he embarks on the next chapter in his career.”
Former Real Madrid and fellow countryman, Karim Benzema, has also sent a welcome message to Kante in a video posted on Al-Ittihad’s official Twitter account: “Hi N’Golo! One day I told you that you were the best box-to-box player in the world. I’m happy to play with you again, in the best Saudi team. See you in Jeddah!”
After helping Leicester City make history by winning the Premier League, Kante moved to Chelsea in July 2016 for £30 million.
The defensive midfielder won the Champions League, Premier League, and FA Cup during his seven-year stint with the Blues.
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