France midfielder N’Golo Kante joined Chelsea from Premier League champions Leicester for a reported £32million on this day in 2016.
Kante’s only season with the Foxes, following his arrival from Caen the previous summer, saw him play a pivotal role in their title-winning campaign.
He was offered a bumper new contract at the King Power Stadium but opted to leave for Chelsea.
It's official! Welcome to Chelsea, N'Golo Kante! https://t.co/BRg1Njs5PB#WelcomeKantepic.twitter.com/1gqqQvFPiK— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) July 16, 2016
“Despite the offer of a substantially improved, long-term contract, it became apparent that N’Golo’s wish was to join Chelsea,” said a Leicester statement.
Kante cited the opportunity to work under then-Blues boss Antonio Conte as a major reason for moving to Stamford Bridge.
“I am so happy to have signed for one of the biggest clubs in Europe. It’s a dream come true for me,” he said.
“The opportunity to work with a brilliant coach and some of the best players in the world was simply too good to turn down.”
Chelsea won the Premier League during Kante’s first season in London as the 30-year-old became the first player since Eric Cantona in 1993 to win back‑to-back top-flight titles in England with two clubs.
Kante has also lifted the FA Cup (2018), Europa League (2019) and Champions League (2021) during his time at Stamford Bridge.
