Messages of goodbye are sent by Reece James and Mason Mount as Chelsea completes a significant summer transfer
N'Golo Kante signed a contract with Al-Ittihad in Saudi Arabia, and other Chelsea players have wished him well in his upcoming task.
Following confirmation of N'Golo Kante's transfer to Al-Ittihad, Reece James and Mason Mount bade him farewell. The 32-year-old was given the option of extending his time at Chelsea, but he chose to put himself to the test in the Saudi Pro League.
During his seven-year stint at Stamford Bridge, Kante made 269 appearances for the Blues and personally assisted 29 goals. His contributions to Chelsea's victories in the Premier League, FA Cup, Champions League, Europa League, UEFA Super Cup, and Club World are significant.
The France international made west Londoners' greatest fantasies come true, but towards the conclusion of his time there, he found it difficult to maintain his fitness. Kante was a fan favourite, and his teammates, who have used social media to wish him luck on his new endeavour, will miss him just as much.
James was one of the first to start things off with a touching Instagram story message. The 23-year-old defensive player wrote: "Nicest guy in football. It was a real pleasure to play with you and share a dressing room with you. Good luck, brother. We will miss you.
After that, Mount imitated him and bowed before Kante. The Cobham alumnus kept his statement brief and simple by using a blue heart emoji and stating, "Legend."
Kante wrote an open letter to his fans and teammates alike shortly after it was announced that he was leaving Chelsea. The Frenchman penned the following in a blog on the club's official website: "I recall how the move to Chelsea came about, very clearly.
"When I was at Leicester, we had a fantastic year. My agent called me soon after we won the championship to let me know Chelsea was interested in signing me. I clicked well with Antonio Conte right away.
"He was the coach that signed me, and I felt like he knew what he expected of the team, what he expected from me, and what he wanted from both. From that point on, I made the decision to join Chelsea, and I have never looked back. It was the right move for me.
As I previously stated, Kante continued, "My dream was to play football and attempt to win trophies. I found the ideal plan to fulfil those aspirations when I decided to join Chelsea.
"I was informed very early on that the goal here is always to win trophies on the first day I joined Chelsea. Always. I'm really appreciative to my coaches, my teammates, and the Chelsea fans for their assistance in helping me accomplish that.
"I've enjoyed my time at this club over the past few years, and I hope the Chelsea supporters have too. NG."
