After world footballer Karim Benzema, his French compatriot N’Golo Kante is also moving to al-Ittihad in Saudi Arabia. The 32-year-old signed a three-year contract with the champions of the Saudi Professional League until 2026, as the club announced on Tuesday night. According to media reports, the midfielder should collect 25 million euros a year, plus income from advertising deals and image rights.
Kante arrives on a free transfer from English Premier League club Chelsea FC, where his contract expired after seven years. He switched from Leicester City to Chelsea in the summer of 2016 for 35.8 million euros. With Leicester he had previously sensationally won the championship title.
He did that in his first season in 2017 with Chelsea. In 2021 he won the Champions League under coach Thomas Tuchel. Kante became world champion with France in 2018 and was injured at the last World Cup in Qatar.