N’Golo Kanté is on the verge of announcing his move to Saudi Arabian club Al-Ittihad following the successful completion of his medical examination in London. The French midfielder, whose contract with Chelsea is set to expire this month, has reached an agreement that will keep him at Al-Ittihad until 2025, with a yearly salary of €100m (£86m) and the possibility of extending for an additional year.
Al-Ittihad, which recently acquired 75% stakes in four Saudi clubs, including Karim Benzema’s transfer from Real Madrid, sent a delegation to London to negotiate with Kanté and successfully convinced him to join their ranks. The acquisition of these clubs is part of the country’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), which also holds an 80% ownership stake in Newcastle United.
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Despite being close to signing a contract extension with Chelsea earlier this year, Kanté’s deal fell through. The 32-year-old midfielder has struggled with injuries and has made only nine appearances for Chelsea this season.
The payment made to Kanté includes various components such as image rights, commercial agreements, and an investment portfolio. However, it amounts to approximately half of the salaries earned by both Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo, who joined Al-Nassr in December of last year.