The Saudi Pro League (SPL) team, Al-Ittihad have announced the joining of the French World Cup winner, N’Golo Kante as a free agent.
When his Chelsea FCÂ contract concludes this summer, the Frenchman will join SPL champions Al Ittihad on a deal lasting for three years.
N'Golo Kante .. N'Golo Kante 🎼#WelcomeBox2Box pic.twitter.com/i9LSh6lkPP
— Ittihad Club (@ittihad_en) June 20, 2023
Kante, whose Chelsea contract finishes on June 30, is going to join Karim Benzema at the Jeddah-based club, becoming the latest big name to make the switch to Saudi Arabia following Cristiano Ronaldo‘s January move to Al Nassr.
Al-Ittihad said in a statement, “The contract [with Kante] was finalized on Tuesday, June 20th, after he completed his medical tests at a specialized medical center in Dubai. This move comes as Ittihad, who recently won the Saudi Professional League, aims to strengthen their squad. Kante’s addition to Al-Ittihad is considered one of the most high-profile and impactful signings in the club’s history. It is part of the club’s efforts to establish itself as a top choice for world-class players in the Saudi Professional League.”
According to sources, the 32-year-old’s contract will pay him roughly €86 million ($109.78 million) every year.
Following performing a vital role in Leicester City‘s surprise Premier League title success in 2016, Kante went to West London, where he went on to become the first player since Eric Cantona in 1993 to win back-to-back English top-flight championships with two different clubs.
Additional achievements followed with the FA Cup in 2018, the UEFA Europa League the following year, and the Champions League in 2021. However, injuries restricted him to playing just nine games in all competitions throughout Chelsea’s difficult past season.