Chelsea midfielder N’Golo Kante revealed Jose Mourinho tried his utmost to lure him to Manchester United, but he could not turn down Antonio Conte at Stamford Bridge.
Kante, 25, swapped Premier League champions Leicester City for Chelsea in the off-season.
United were also reportedly interested in the hard-working France international but Mourinho’s efforts ultimately proved unsuccessful.
In 2015/16, Kante was the breakout star of the Premier League campaign, playing a pivotal role as Leicester City shocked the football world by winning the title.
He won more tackles (125) and made more interceptions (156) than any other player in the division, dominating the midfield engine room across his 37 league appearances.
That form attracted interest from Chelsea this summer, with new manager Antonio Conte identifying Kante as a prime transfer target, ending his Leicester career after just one year.
Prior to his move to Stamford Bridge, however, the France international received a proposal from Mourinho, who later overhauled his midfield with the acquisition of Paul Pogba.
Kante has revealed that he had been “warned” about the Portuguese coach’s approach, as his negotiations with Chelsea were ongoing at the time.
“It was amazing to have Mourinho call me, even though I’d been warned before how he would appeal to me,” Kante said.
“I listened to his arguments about why I should move to United.
“But at that time I was hesitant between staying at Leicester or leaving for Chelsea.
“My discussions with them were already well underway. But when I spoke, I had a good feeling with Conte.”
Kante has settled well in London, playing every minute of Chelsea’s three Premier League wins to start the season.
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