- West Ham manager Julen Lopetegui is said to be an admirer of the French star
West Ham’s opening bid of £15million for N’Golo Kante has been rejected by Al-Ittihad, according to reports.
The Hammers made a surprise bid to sign the former Chelsea star this week, but their initial offer was rejected.
Kante, 33, is reportedly enjoying his time in Saudi Arabia but a return to the Premier League could interest him.
The Athletics West Ham are reported to have verbally offered £15million for the French star, but Al-Ittihad have no intention of selling the midfielder.
According to The Athletic, a bid would need to be around £25m before the Saudi club would consider a deal.
Al-Ittihad have rejected West Ham’s opening bid of £15m for midfielder N’Golo Kante
West Ham manager Julen Lopetegui hopes to complete a deal for the French star this summer
West Ham’s new manager Julen Lopeteguiis said to have long been an admirer of Kante and could push through a deal.
It is believed that Lopetegui wanted to sign the midfielder during his time at Real Madrid, but a deal never materialised.
A potential move to West Ham would end Kante’s stay in Saudi Arabia after he signed a two-year deal worth £172million with Al-Ittihad after leaving Chelsea when his contract expired in the summer of 2023.
During his time at Chelsea, Kante won the Premier League, the Champions League, the Europa League and the FA Cup.
He joined Chelsea in 2016 after playing a pivotal role in Leicester citylast season’s improbable title win.
Kante played 44 games for Al-Ittihad, scoring four goals and providing six assists. The club finished fifth in the 2023-24 Saudi Pro League season.
The midfielder recently played for France at Euro 2024, where they reached the semi-finals but lost to eventual winners Spain.