Leicester and France central midfielder N’Golo Kante could join Chelsea in the coming hours with both clubs agreeing a fee of 35 million (£29 million), according to Les Parisien.
Leicester and France central midfielder N’Golo Kante could join Chelsea in the coming hours with both clubs agreeing a fee of 35 million (£29 million), according to Les Parisien.
Kante, who won the title with Leicester and was nominated for the Premier League Player Of The Year in his debut season, has been linked with big-money moves to the likes of Real Madrid, Arsenal and Shanghai SIPG, but it seems Chelsea have finally fought off that competition.
The fee, much higher than his £22 million release clause, was imaginably forced to be raised after Chinese club Shanghai SIPG had reportedly bid higher than the £29 million that Chelsea agreed with The Foxes.
He was very keen on a move to Chelsea and had expressed his desire to go there earlier this month by rejecting a £100k-per-week contract offer at Leicester.
It is understood the midfielder was not keen at all to play in China but it seems incomprehensible that Leicester would settle for less than the bid Shanghai SIPG had submitted.
Kante will be the second signing of the Antonio Conte era at Chelsea, after Michy Batshuayi was signed from Marseille for £33 million. Kante will offer some much-needed energy and tenacity to Antonio Conte’s midfield and the way he can just break up play so effortlessly is astounding.
