N’Golo Kante, a midfielder for Chelsea and former Leicester City, is reportedly “exploring a deal” to join West Ham United.
The two-time Premier League champion joined Al-Ittihad of the Saudi Arabia Pro League after leaving Chelsea in the summer of last year. He went on to play 46 games across all competitions, sharing the pitch with players like former Liverpool midfielder Fabinho and Real Madrid great Karim Benzema. Kante was a vital member of Les Bleus throughout the competition, starting all six of their games, including their 2-1 semi-final loss to eventual winners Spain, despite worries that moving to the Gulf State would hurt his chances of earning a spot in France’s Euro 2024 Finals squad. Kante’s contract with Al-Ittihad expires in the summer of 2026, but according to the Daily Telegraph, West Ham is eager to get the midfield player back in the Premier League and has expressed interest “at an early stage.” There are no recommendations about the kind of payment that would be necessary to convince Al-Ittihad to approve a deal or whether the Saudi club would even entertain the possibility of doing so. As West Ham gets ready for their debut campaign under new manager Julen Lopetegui, the acquisition of the dynamic midfield player is a part of an ambitious transfer plan at the London Stadium. The Hammers have already paid about £60 million to acquire Brazilian teenager Luis Guilherme and Wolverhampton Wanderers captain Max Kilman, who are reportedly targets for Newcastle United. Additionally, Lopetegui is rumored to be interested in Nice defender Jean-Clair Todibo, Arsenal winger Reiss Nelson, and Manchester United right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka. After agreeing to a £50 million deal with Everton last week, the midfield player is reportedly scheduled to have a physical at Villa on Sunday. It has been suggested that the move may be completed as soon as Monday. But according to a report from Belgian publication Nieuwsblad, Onana, who is reportedly eager to play in the Champions League and will sign a five-year contract at Villa Park prior to the Red Devils’ return to the top table of European football in the upcoming season, turned down their attempts to “hijack” the move.
Villa has already completed agreements for midfielders Ross Barkley and Enzo Barrenchea, wingers Samuel Ilang-Junior, Lewis Dobbin, and Jaden Philogene, offensive lineman Ian Maatsen, left-back, and Cameron Archer.