N’Golo Kante, the World Cup-winning midfielder for France, has joined Saudi Arabian champions Al Ittihad, according to a statement released by the club on Wednesday.
He joins compatriot Karim Benzema at Al Ittihad.
“Kante is an Ittihad player now!” the club announced on Twitter, while chairman Anmar al-Hailee tweeted, “Welcome to our new tiger, Kante,” a reference to the team’s moniker.
The 32-year-old is the latest in a long line of European players to choose to play in the arid nation, which is making lucrative advances in premier sports.
Kante, a dynamic and diligent midfielder, won the 2018 World Cup with France.
His club career is also dazzling. He won the Champions League, the World Club Cup, and consecutive Premier League titles with Leicester City and Chelsea.
Kante’s contract with the London club was due to expire this month, and the club paid him a lavish farewell tribute.
“N’Golo’s impact and influence during his time at Chelsea cannot be overstated,” said co-sporting directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley in a statement released by the club.
His diligent play in midfield helped the team win several trophies and ensured him a position in the club’s annals.
Kante has signed a three-year contract with Al Ittihad, according to a communiqué from the Jeddah-based club. However, the club did not disclose Kante’s salary.
The Saudi club stated, “Kante’s addition to Al-Ittihad is regarded as one of the most prominent and consequential signings in the club’s history.”
It is part of the club’s endeavors to become the preferred destination for world-class athletes in the Saudi Professional League.
He will wear the number seven jersey, which he wore at Chelsea as well.
Benzema joined Al-Ittihad earlier this month after winning five Champions Leagues, four La Liga titles, and three Copa del Rey in 14 seasons with Real Madrid.
– “Extremely elated” –
In a video message posted online by the club, Benzema, 35, said to his fellow Frenchman, “I told you once that you are the greatest player in the world, box to box. Now I’m excited to compete with you again, and in the greatest team in Saudi Arabia.”
Kante stated that he was “thrilled to play for the Tigers.”
Cristiano Ronaldo, champion of the Ballon d’Or five times, joined Al-Nassr in January after being recruited by the kingdom’s division.
Ruben Neves, a fellow Portuguese international who presently plays for Wolves, is rumored to be joining Al Hilal.
Lionel Messi, widely regarded as the finest player ever, will instead join Inter Miami in the United States despite a protracted courtship by Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia, a reactionary monarchy frequently criticized for its human rights record, has rapidly attained a prominent position in international athletics thanks to its hydrocarbon wealth.
Hosting the World Cup is expected to boost Saudi Arabia’s profile and prestige as it seeks to diversify its oil-dependent economy through the attraction of tourists and investors.
In the following years, Saudi Arabia will host the Asian Cup for men’s football, the Asian Games in the Olympic format, and the Asian Winter Games in 2029.
The Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF), the state’s sovereign wealth instrument, owns an eighty percent stake in Newcastle United, the Premier League’s fourth-place finisher from the previous season.
The PIF has also ruffled feathers in golf. It finances LIV Golf, whose conflict with the PGA Tour nearly splintered the sport.
Earlier this month, an unexpected merger between the rival circuits resolved a legal dispute, less than a year after LIV Golf debuted with several stars who had defected from the PGA for lucrative offers from the fledgling series.