Chelsea confirm signing of N’Golo Kanté from Leicester City

Chelsea confirm signing of N’Golo Kanté from Leicester City

• France midfielder leaves Premier League champions after one season
• Kanté says opportunity to play for Chelsea ‘was simply too good to turn down’

Chelsea have completed the signing of N’Golo Kanté from Leicester City for a fee of around £30m, with the 25-year-old France midfielder signing a five-year contract at Stamford Bridge.

Kanté, who made more tackles and interceptions than any other player in the Premier League last season, said the opportunity to work under the new Chelsea manager, Antonio Conte, was “simply too good to turn down”.

“I am so happy to have signed for one of the biggest clubs in Europe. It’s a dream come true for me,” Kanté said. “The opportunity to work with Antonio Conte, a brilliant coach, and some of the best players in the world was simply too good to turn down.

“My first season in English football was very special and now I hope to go on to achieve even more during my time as a Chelsea player. I am looking forward to meeting up with my new team-mates and helping the club achieve a lot of success.”

Kanté is Chelsea’s second acquisition of the summer after completing the £33m signing of the Belgium striker Michy Batshuayi from Marseille on 3 July.

Despite turning a large profit, having signed Kanté for £5.5m from Caen last year, the transfer comes as a major blow to Leicester. The Premier League champions also face a battle to keep another of their star performers from last season, Riyad Mahrez, who is set to reject the club’s offer of a new contract amid widespread interest from across Europe. The Algeria attacker has indicated he wants a new challenge.

Guardian