Chelsea look set to snap up Leicester City midfielder N'Golo Kante after agreeing to pay the Foxes a fee in excess of the player's release clause.
Kante has been linked with a whole host of clubs this summer after powering Leicester to the Premier League title last season. The Frenchman has seen Arsenal, Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United, in addition to Chelsea, all linked with wanting to snap him up.
Leicester have been hoping to keep hold of Kante, but with the France international having a release clause set at the €25m mark have always appeared to be fighting a losing battle.
Now, according to French daily Le Parisien, Chelsea could be on the verge of winning the race for Kante after agreeing to pay Leicester a fee of €35m for the midfielder.
It is unclear why the Blues would be paying more than Kante's release clause, but the midfielder is set to sign a five-year deal with Antonio Conte's men.
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Chelsea are currently in the process of rebuilding under Conte, following a disastrous last season which saw Leicester take the Premier League crown while the defending champions languished in the lower reaches of the table.
Beating off substantial competition for Kante will be seen as a statement of intent on the part of Chelsea ahead of the new season.
