West Ham are looking to sign former Chelsea midfielder N’Golo Kante from Al-Ittihad, according to reports.
It’s thought that both parties are currently in negotiations over a possible return to the Premier League for the midfielder.
The 33-year-old, who represented France at Euro 2024, joined Al-Ittihad in 2023 after a seven-year stint with Chelsea. The Guardian reports that although he is content with his current club, he is open to returning to London.
West Ham would need to pay around £20 million to secure the veteran, who FootballTransfers’ Estimated Transfer Value algorithm (ETV) ranks at €2.6m. There is a willingness to get the deal done.
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The Hammers are seeking a defensive midfielder after Kalvin Phillips failed to impress on his loan spell from Manchester City last season. The club decided not to extend the former England international’s stay.
A big part of West Ham’s interest in Kante stems from their head coach Julen Lopetegui, who previously tried to sign him during his short tenure at Real Madrid.
Kante’s remarkable career
Kante started his career at Caen but then moved to Leicester City. He played a crucial role in Leicester’s unexpected Premier League triumph in 2016.
He moved to Chelsea for €35.8m and won another Premier League title, as well as the Champions League, FA Cup, and Europa League.
He was named the Premier League and PFA Player of the Year in the 2016-17 season.
West Ham believe that his extensive experience would be invaluable as they enter a new era under Lopetegui, who succeeded David Moyes last season. The club have recently signed Max Kilman, Luis Guilherme, and Wes Foderingham.
