Reece James and Mason Mount have bid farewell to N'Golo Kante following confirmation of the Frenchman's move to Al-Ittihad. The 32-year-old was offered the chance to extend his stay at Chelsea, but he decided to test himself in the Saudi Pro League instead.
Kante made 269 appearances for the Blues during his seven-year stay at Stamford Bridge, directly contributing towards 29 goals from midfield. He played a major role in helping Chelsea win the Premier League, FA Cup, Champions League, Europa League, UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup.
The France international helped the west Londoners achieve their wildest dreams but, towards the end of his tenure, he struggled to stay fit. Kante was a fan favourite, and he'll be missed just as much by his teammates, who have taken to social media to congratulate him on his new venture.
James was one of the first to get the ball rolling, with a heartwarming message on his Instagram story. With a crying emoji, the 23-year-old defender wrote: "Nicest guy in football. Such a pleasure to share a dressing room and play along side you. Good Luck brother, you'll be missed."
Then, Mount followed suit and paid his respects to Kante. With a blue heart emoji, the Cobham graduate kept his message short and sweet, writing: "Legend."
Shortly after confirmation of his departure from Chelsea, Kante penned an open message to supporters and his colleagues alike. In a column on the club's official website, the Frenchman wrote: "I remember how the move to Chelsea came about, very clearly.
"I was at Leicester and we had an amazing season. Shortly after we won the title, my agent called me and told me that Chelsea were interested in signing me. Straightaway, I had a good chemistry with Antonio Conte.
"He was the coach who signed me and I felt that he knew what he wanted from me and what he wanted, and expected, from the club. So from then I decided to join Chelsea and I never once regretted that choice, it was perfect for me."
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Kante added: "As I said earlier, my dream was to become a footballer and to try and win trophies. Joining Chelsea was the perfect arrangement for me to achieve those dreams.
"The first day I joined Chelsea, I was told very early on that the objective here is always to win trophies. Always. I’ve managed to do that and I’m so grateful for my coaches, my team-mates and the Chelsea supporters for helping me achieve this.
"The last few years at this club have been great for me and, I hope, for the Chelsea fans too. NG."
