Former Chelsea star N’Golo Kante buys Belgian side Royal Excelsior Virton
N’Golo Kante has become the owner of Belgian third-division side Royal Excelsior Virton.
- Kante new owner of Belgian club
- Royal Excelsior Virton will be handed over on July 1
- Kante joined Al-Ittihad from Chelsea this season
WHAT HAPPENED? The former Chelsea midfielder is set to become a club owner in Belgium as he will take over Belgian third-division club Royal Excelsior Virton. Current owner Flavio Becca will hand over the club to the French star officially on July 1. The club has confirmed the move in a statement on the club’s official website under the slogans ‘Together, aways higher’ and ‘Small town, big dreams.’
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Becca took up ownership of the club in 2018 and they immediately prospered, managing to get promoted to the second division for the first time in their history. In the following season, they came close to gaining promotion to the top division but missed out by a whisker, eventually finishing second. Royal Excelsior were relegated from the second division in the 2022-23 season but the club are completely debt free and will appoint a new board of directors shortly.
WHAT THEY SAID: A club statement revealed Becca is thrilled to be handed ownership to Kante.
Article continues below
“Flavio is obviously extremely happy to be able to hand over the keys of the club to N’Golo Kanté, a high-class player, not only for his footballing qualities but also and above all for his unanimously recognized human qualities.”
WHAT NEXT FOR KANTE? The World Cup-winning French midfielder recently ended his seven-year-long relationship with Chelsea to Ittihad where he will play alongside compatriot Karim Benzema.
