N'Golo Kante: Al Hilal eye short-term loan for former Chelsea midfielder ahead of Club World Cup | OneFootball

The Frenchman could be made to face his former club this summer

Al Hilal are locked in deadline day talks to add former Chelsea midfielder N’Golo Kante on a short-term loan deal ahead of the Club World Cup.

The Frenchman, 34, moved to Al-Ittihad from Chelsea in 2023, winning both the Saudi Pro League and King’s Cup since. He enjoyed a hugely successful spell in west London beforehand, playing a key role in bringing the Champions League back to Stamford Bridge in 2021 and the 2016-17 Premier League title-winning campaign.

He was crowned Club World Cup champion in 2022, and could be set for another shot at the title this summer with Al Hilal.

Both Al-Ittihad and Al Hilal are controlled by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.

He would mark the club’s second major addition of the window after they appointed Simone Inzaghi as manager earlier this month, shortly after his Inter Milan side were demolished by Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final.

Kante has faced Al Hilal eight times since moving to the Middle East, winning just twice, but beat them with Chelsea at the 2022 Club World Cup. Should he complete the move, he could play alongside Ruben Neves and Sergej Milinković-Savić, as well as former Chelsea teammate Kalidou Koulibaly.

Al Hilal will be the only Saudi side at the tournament and were drawn into a difficult group, where they will face Real Madrid, RB Salzburg, and Pachuca.