N’Golo Kante, the French World Cup winner, has joined Saudi Arabian champions Al Ittihad, according to an official statement released by the club on Wednesday. Kante will rejoin his countryman Karim Benzema at the Jeddah-based club.
Al Ittihad said in a tweet, “Kante is an Ittihad player now!” Anmar al-Hailee, the club’s chairman, too shared his excitement, welcoming Kante as the team’s “new tiger,” a reference to the club’s nickname.
Kante, famous for his tireless work rate and amazing midfield performances, joins a growing list of European stars who have chosen to continue their careers in Saudi Arabia. His impressive club career includes Champions League and World Club Cup triumphs with Chelsea, as well as back-to-back Premier League victories with Leicester City and Chelsea.
Al-Ittihad confirmed that Kante had signed a three-year deal with the club, but gave no other details. The financial terms of the agreement, however, were not disclosed in the announcement. The signing of Kante is regarded as an important and influential move for Al-Ittihad, which is attempting to establish itself as a favoured destination for world-class players in the Saudi Professional League.