Transfer Centre

Antonio Conte: N'Golo Kante signing "very important" for Chelsea

By Daniel Lewis, Senior Reporter | 16 July 2016

Antonio Conte is "very, very happy" to have signed N'Golo Kante from Leicester City, claiming that Chelsea have recruited a vital midfield cog.

Chelsea boss Antonio Conte has admitted that he is delighted to have added Premier League title-winning midfielder N'Golo Kante to his ranks.

The 25-year-old completed a move to Stamford Bridge from champions Leicester City on Saturday afternoon in a deal worth around £32m.

Kante earned many plaudits last season for his all-action displays in the centre of the pitch, which Conte is hoping will be a similar case next time around during his own first campaign in West London.

"I am very, very happy the club have bought this player," he is quoted as saying by FourFourTwo. "He is a good player with good technique, fantastic stamina and I like this type of player.

"I think when you want to win you need these players - Kante, [Nemanja] Matic, who work hard for the team. Kante can give a lot to Chelsea to enforce and so on.

"[He can be] very important for us if we want to play with two central midfielders. He showed in last season he is able to play with another in midfield."

Conte's first game in charge of Chelsea ended in a 2-0 defeat to Rapid Vienna at the Allianz Stadion on Saturday evening.