Chelsea sign France midfielder Kante from Leicester

The fee for the French global was about £32 million (HK$327 million), British media said, and comes after Chelsea snapped up Belgian striker Michy Batshuayi from Marseille for a similar fee.

In a bold statement of intent ahead of the new season, Chelsea have completed a £30 million deal for Leicester City’s N’Golo Kante.

The 25-year-old Kante was one of the key players in Leicester’s improbable title triumph last season.

‘He (Kante) is a good player with great technique and stamina, ‘ he added.

“It’s just different. We’re trying to be very disciplined”.

“All together we are working to improve the squad”, he said.

The France midfielder made more tackles and interceptions than any other player in the Premier League last season.

“This season, I also discovered the Premier League with @lcfc”.

Kante is now expected to join up with his new team-mates before they jet off to America for the International Champions Cup.

Gary Lineker believes the arrival of N’Golo Kante could be a major boost for Chelsea.

Days ago Ranieri, a former Chelsea manager, had told Kante to decide quickly on his future. Napoli’s Kalidou Koulibaly, Everton’s John Stones and Juventus’ Leonardo Bonucci are among the Blues’ centreback targets.

“We know what this team needs”. Myself and the club are on the same line and we know what to do to improve the team.

“[But] we prefer to wait and to take the right player rather than to take a player only for emotion”.

One new face that Conte was willing to confirm is Juan Cuadrado.

Mahrez scored 18 goals in all competitions last season and is supposedly considering a new contract with Leicester worth £100,000 a week.

“But I don’t like to lose, and this is the same for my players”. He is in our squad. I want to see our fans happy. “He’s not the kind of man who will say, ‘Coach, I want to leave.’ He is happy here”, said the Italian at the club’s training camp in Austria.

Conte said: “We have players who have great talent but in this moment the world doesn’t think they are the same level as Messi, Suarez, Neymar, Cristiano Ronaldo or Pogba”.