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N'Golo Kante to Chelsea: Blues confirm £30m signing after Leicester agree to sell midfielder

Chelsea announced their second signing of the summer following their addition of Michy Batshuayi earlier this week

Jack de Menezes
Saturday 16 July 2016 15:03 BST
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Chelsea have confirmed that they have signed France midfielder N’Golo Kante from reigning Premier League champions Leicester City, with the 25-year-old signing a five-year deal to move to Stamford Bridge.

The club issued a statement on Saturday afternoon, with Leicester simultaneously confirming that they have agreed to let Kante leave the club just one year after joining the Foxes from Caen in a £5.6m deal. The fee Chelsea are believed to have paid Leicester is £30m.

Speaking to the club’s official website, Kante said: “I am so happy to have signed for one of the biggest clubs in Europe. It’s a dream come true for me.

“The opportunity to work with Antonio Conte, a brilliant coach, and some of the best players in the world was simply too good to turn down.

“My first season in English football was very special and now I hope to go on to achieve even more during my time as a Chelsea player. I am looking forward to meeting up with my new team-mates and helping the club achieve a lot of success.”

The addition of Kante is the second new signing since Antonio Conte took over as Chelsea manager, with the Italian already securing the acquisition of Michy Batshuayi earlier this month.

Chelsea’s technical director, Michael Emenalo, handled the transfer and praised Kante’s ability and believes he is the “perfect fit” for what Conte has planned for his team.

“N’Golo is a fantastic signing ahead of the new season and we are delighted to have been able to bring such a talented player to the club,” said Emenalo.

“He is a perfect fit in terms of Antonio Conte’s philosophies and the style of football he wants to play.

“For a player of his age he has already built up a wealth of experience and his exceptional quality will without doubt be a great addition to the team.”

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