N’Golo Kante has insisted he will ‘never forget’ the Chelsea fans that supported him for seven years following his move to Al Ittihad.
The Frenchman has taken his talents to Saudi Arabia following the expiry of his Chelsea contract, bringing an end to a seven-year spell at Stamford Bridge which saw him win the Premier League, FA Cup, Champions League, Europa League, Super Cup and Club World Cup.
Chelsea paid tribute to Kante in a farewell message and now the 32-year-old, who managed 269 appearances for the Blues, has now penned a letter of his own.
“Goodbye Chelsea,” Kante wrote. “The time has come to open a new chapter in my career. But before doing so, it was important for me to thank the great and wonderful Chelsea family.
“Fans, players, directors, coaches, members of the medical staff, everyone who has supported me over the last seven seasons with this legendary club. So many fond memories, so many victories, so many titles won at your side.
“Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I’ll never forget you.
“I’d also like to thank my family, my close friends, who have always been by my side through good times and bad. Not forgetting my agent, Karim, and my advisers Rachid and Driss, who have been by my side with unfailing support since I started out. These last few months have not been easy for us and our families. But we’ve managed to stick together in the face of rumours and lies. They too have played a major role in my success.
“See you soon on the pitch for new adventures with Al Ittihad and Les Bleus.”
Kante leaves Chelsea as a hugely popular figure but one who saw injuries limit his time at Stamford Bridge.
After avoiding any significant physical issues for his first three years in London, Kante managed just 22 Premier League appearances in the 2019/20 season and would never manage more than 30 in the years that followed.
2022/23 was particularly tough for Kante, who was restricted to just seven league outings after a hamstring injury cost him five months and a groin problem brought his campaign to an abrupt end.
