Karim Benzema welcomes N'Golo Kante to Al-Ittihad after former Chelsea star completes move to Saudi club
Karim Benzema has welcomed his French compatriot N'Golo Kante to Al-Ittihad after the Chelsea midfielder completed his move to the Saudi giants.
Kante, 32, has been confirmed as a new Al-Numoor player, joining on a four-year deal after leaving Chelsea. He will reportedly earn €25 million per year with the Saudi Pro League champions, per transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.
The Frenchman joins Benzema as the latest household name to arrive in the Middle East. The Real Madrid icon has welcomed his former France teammate to King Abdullah Sports City Stadium.
Al-Ittihad posted a video on their Twitter account of the duo exchanging pleasantries upon Kante's arrival. The former Madrid captain said:
"Hi N'Golo, one time I told you you're the best player box to box in the world. Now I'm happy to play with you again. And of course in the best team in Saudi. See you in Jeddah."
Kante responded to his compatriot's welcoming, saying:
"Thank you, Karim, nice to see you again. I'm very pleased to play with you, the best player in the world."
أفضل اللاعبين في أفضل نادي 💎
#WelcomeBox2Box https://t.co/joAB9ShgO5
The French midfielder did look set to sign a new contract with Chelsea earlier this year. However, no extension was agreed upon and he is now heading to Al-Ittihad to join Benzema in the Saudi champions' side.
Kante became a Blues legend during his seven years at Stamford Bridge. He made 269 appearances across competitions, scoring 13 goals and providing 16 assists. He won the Champions League, the Premier League, and the FA Cup.
Chelsea icon Joe Cole lauded Benzema for his getting better with age
Benzema joins Al-Ittihad as the current holder of the Ballon d'Or. The French forward won the accolade after a sensational 2021-22 campaign with Madrid.
The prolific striker bagged 44 goals in 46 games across competitions that season. He finished as La Liga's top scorer (15) and Champions League's top scorer (27). Los Blancos won both competitions, and the Frenchman was key to that success.
Chelsea legend Joe Cole backed Benzema to win the Ballon d'Or after his extraordinary performances last year. He told BT Sport:
“He is getting better with age. As things stand right now in the race for the Ballon d’Or, he has won it by a few furlongs. It is unbelievable that in this stage of his career, he has gone: ‘I am in charge of the orchestra now, everything goes through me’. He is an outstanding footballer.”
The 35-year-old joins Al-Ittihad as one of the best goalscorers on the planet. He scored 354 goals in 648 games for Madrid. He will also be going toe-to-toe with his former Los Blancos teammate Cristiano Ronaldo who plays for Al-Nassr.