The 32-year-old midfielder, who recently transferred to Al-Ittihad in Saudi Arabia, has officially acquired the Royal Excelsior Virton club, which is set to compete in Belgium’s third division in the upcoming season.
On June 21, N’Golo Kante left Chelsea to embark on a new phase in his career. Alongside his on-field endeavors, the French midfielder with 53 caps for the national team will now play a role behind the scenes at the Belgian third-division club, Royal Excelsior Virton.
Kante completed the purchase of the club on Thursday, June 29, from Flavio Becca, who had been the owner since 2018. The transfer of ownership will take effect on Saturday, July 1, and the club announced that a new board of directors will be established soon, as stated in the press release titled “Together, ever higher.”
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At the age of 32, Kanté will venture into the realm of soccer club management, driven by his aspiration to develop and fortify the foundations of Royal Excelsior Virton. His aims include stabilizing the staff and reinvigorating the club’s training tradition, particularly through its youth academy. His initial task is to guide the club back to the second division, from which it was relegated at the end of the 2022-2023 season.
While continuing his playing career in Saudi Arabia, Kante will need to balance his club management responsibilities. Like other notable players, he made the decision to join Saudi Arabia, which has been actively recruiting players to enhance its league and bolster its chances of hosting the 2030 World Cup.
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However, Kante faces challenges as injuries have limited his playing time, featuring in just nine games across all competitions this season. Despite these setbacks, the midfielder, who won the 2021 Champions League, remains optimistic about his future. Although he has not represented the French national team for over a year, Kante expressed his anticipation for new adventures with Al-Ittihad and his aspirations to reunite with Les Bleus in the future. The unexpected turn of becoming the owner of Royal Excelsior Virton has added an intriguing twist to his career.