N'Golo Kante reveals Arsenal's half-hearted interest convinced him to join Chelsea last summer
The Frenchman confirmed that a number of clubs had expressed an interest in him
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Your support makes all the difference.N’Golo Kante has revealed that Arsenal’s half-hearted interest led him to join London rivals Chelsea last summer.
After enjoying a stellar debut season with Leicester, in which he helped guide the side to their first top-flight division title, the 26-year-old was subsequently linked to a number of Premier League clubs.
Arsenal were alleged to have registered their interest in the midfielder but Kante has revealed other clubs made a greater effort to lure him away from the King Power Stadium.
Kante ended up signing for Chelsea for a reported £32m and has since gone on to establish himself as one of Antonio Conte’s key players.
"With Arsenal there was an interest but not a big as other clubs," Kante told Sky Sports.
"That is why I didn't go to Arsenal and went to Chelsea."
Arsene Wenger revealed in February that Kante was on his radar while he played in France with Boulogne and Caen, and when he was a Leicester player.
But the Arsenal boss suggested that finances had prevented the club from signing the Frenchman.
Asked if he had ever tried to sign the midfielder, Wenger said: “When he was in France, when he was at Leicester.”
When pushed about why Arsenal missed out on Kante, who is understood to earn around £110,000 a week at Chelsea, Wenger added: “We cannot explain everything, but it is quite obvious when you look at where he has gone.
“I do not want to talk more about that. Transfers are transfers.”
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