Chelsea exit for £30m star now a 'done deal' at Stamford Bridge | OneFootball

A Chelsea exit for World Cup-winning midfielder N'golo Kante is now a 'done deal', journalist Ben Jacobs has told GIVEMESPORT.

The Frenchman has struggled with injuries in recent years, and it appears very likely he will be playing in Saudi Arabia for Al Ittihad next season.

At his very best, Kante was and still is one of the best in his position in world football. However, a combination of age and injuries have seen his impact limited at Stamford Bridge in recent years, with the 32-year-old making just seven Premier League appearances this season, as per Transfermarkt.

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Given the vast amount of money the Blues have spent since Todd Boehly took ownership of the club, it should be no surprise then that they are happy for Kante to depart the club when his contract expires in the summer.

He is undoubtedly a fan-favourite at Stamford Bridge, but he looks increasingly likely to become the next household name to swap European football for Saudi Arabia.

What did Ben Jacobs say about N'golo Kante?

Jacobs confirmed that Kante is heading to Saudi Arabian club Al Itiihad, teaming up with Karim Benzema who recently left Real Madrid.

Speaking directly to GIVEMESPORT, Jacobs said: "Kante to Saudi Arabia is a done deal. He, as I revealed earlier this week, will be joining Al Ittihad along with Karim Benzema.

"If all costs are considered - so that's base salary, that's commercial opportunities, that's bonuses, that's image rights, and that's other incentives, then he could potentially earn around about €100m [£86m] a year which is incredible."

How successful was N'golo Kante's career at Chelsea?

Very, is the short answer. Kante joined the Blues in the summer of 2016 for £30m and, as per Transfermarkt, went on to win: a Premier League title, a Champions League, a Club World Cup, an FA Cup, a UEFA Supercup and the UEFA Europa League during his spell in West London.

During his seven years at the club, he also won the 2018 World Cup with France as well as the PFA Players' Player of the Year award for his performances during the 2016/17 season.