Saudi Pro League champions Al-Ittihad sign former Chelsea midfielder Ngolo Kante on permanent deal

N’Golo Kante, the former midfielder for Chelsea, has signed a three-year contract to play for Saudi Arabia’s champions Al Ittihad. The 32-year-old, who earned the World Cup in 2018 with France, teams up with fellow countryman Karim Benzema, who earlier this week departed Real Madrid and agreed to a three-year deal with the Saudi team.

According to reports, the former Leicester City playmaker has agreed to a deal worth almost £86 million annually. Nuno Espirito Santo, a former manager of Wolves and Tottenham, led Al Ittihad to a five-point victory against Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr, who finished second, last season. After seven seasons at Stamford Bridge, Kante departed Chelsea. During his tenure with the team, he won the Champions League, Premier League, Europa League, and FA Cup.

However, the Frenchman’s latest campaign was marred by injury, as he wasn’t part of 38 games across all competitions, which caused Chelsea to struggle and finish 12th in the Premier League without him. This summer, Saudi Arabia is bringing in some of the most sought-after players in football.

Cristiano Ronaldo relocated to the Middle Eastern country in 2023 on a free transfer, and Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema declined to stay at Real Madrid for another season in order to join him there.

This is most likely not to be the conclusion of it, as up to five Chelsea players are expected to switch from the Premier League team to the Saudi Pro League, with stars like Sergio Ramos, Bernardo Silva, and Heung-Min Son apparently receiving comparable offers.  Al Nassr of Saudi Arabia is engaged in negotiations to transport Hakim Ziyech across the Middle East. The athlete is excited to partner with Cristiano Ronaldo in the Saudi Pro League, and negotiations have gone smoothly.

Although the Moroccan’s agreement with the London giants terminates in 2025, it appears that he will leave the team this summer. Famed transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano claims that Chelsea is eager to get rid of Hakim Ziyech during the summer. Due to a recent slump in form, the Moroccan attacker is a solitary figure at Stamford Bridge. The two sides are now seeking a divorce as the 30-year-old struggled in living up to expectations during his three seasons with the Blues.