Chelsea transfer news: N'Golo Kante closes in on £30m Leicester City exit

The France international will reportedly sign a five-year contract with the west London club

Kanté was one of the stand-out performers in Leicester's title-winning side (Getty)

N’Golo Kanté, the Leicester City midfielder, is close to completing a move to Chelsea, according to reports emerging from France.

The west London club, who unveiled Antonio Conte as their new manager on Thursday, will reportedly pay €36m (£29.9m) to seal Kanté’s signature.

According to RMC Sport, the 25-year-old midfielder will sign a five-year contract at Stamford Bridge and the deal could be completed in the next 48 hours.

Kanté joined Leicester from Caen, the Ligue 1 club, for around £5.5m last summer and was a stand-out member of their Premier League title-winning side.

Earlier this week, Claudio Ranieri, the Leicester manager, admitted that he could understand if the France international left the club this summer, despite wanting to keep him at the King Power Stadium.

"He wanted to wait because he wanted to finish Euro 2016. Now I hear there is so much speculation behind him.

"I don't want to lose him,” he added. “I don't want to, but I could understand if he wants to go.

"At this point, I hope the team bring the maximum. I don't know about the money, I am not a manager, just a coach, so I don't speak about money. I say what I feel, I want him here."