Leicester City transfer news: Yohan Benalouane left Atalanta 'in tears' ahead of £5.6m switch

Foxes finally making moves in the transfer market following Claudio Ranieri's appointment in July

Atalanta defender Yohan Benalouane (Getty)

Leicester City are set to complete the £5.6m transfer of Atalanta defender Yohan Benalouane after the 28-year-old confirmed the deal.

New Foxes boss Claudio Ranieri also hopes to agree terms with Caen midfielder N'Golo Kante, 24, after BBC Radio Leicester reported the combative midfielder had passed a medical in the East Midlands.

French-born Tunisian international Benalouane, who made 27 Serie A appearances last season, confirmed to the Italian media that Atalanta had received an offer they couldn't refuse from the Premier League outfit.

N'Golo Kante is expected to join Leicester this week (Getty)

"I couldn't say anything before everything was over," he told the Bergamo Post.

"I left the training camp in tears on Friday, because I really care for everyone. I didn't want to leave Atalanta and would gladly have stayed, but an offer of €8m is a lot for a club like Atalanta."

Meanwhile, Leicester's long hunt for a defensive midfielder following the departure of Esteban Cambiasso appears to be drawing to a close as £5.6m-rated Kante touched down in England for talks.

Shinji Okazaki scored his first Leicester goal (Getty)

Following the 3-2 comeback victory over Birmingham City on Saturday, ensuring Leicester remained unbeaten in pre-season, Ranieri confirmed: "We are talking with Kante. I am waiting and I am very confident. He is a good player. I hope he is here very soon."

Goals from Robert Huth, Danny Drinkwater and new £7m signing Shinji Okazaki meant the Foxes clawed back a two-goal first-half deficit at St Andrews.