N'Golo Kante joins Saudi champions Al Ittihad in a star-studded desert revolution

France's World Cup-winning midfielder N'Golo Kante has joined Saudi Arabian champions Al Ittihad, the club said in a statement on Wednesday, joining up with compatriot Karim Benzema.

"Kante is an Ittihad player now!" the club said on Twitter, while chairman Anmar al-Hailee tweeted: "Welcome to our new tiger Kante," a reference to the team's nickname.

The 32-year-old becomes the latest in a line of European stars choosing to ply their trade in the desert kingdom, which is making big-money moves across elite sport.

A dynamic and industrious midfielder, Kante won the World Cup with France in 2018.

His club career also glitters. He won the Champions League and World Club Cup with Chelsea, as well as back-to-back Premier League titles with Leicester City and Chelsea.

Kante's contract with the London club was set to expire this month. He has signed a three-year deal with Al Ittihad, the Jeddah-based team said in a statement, though it gave no details of how much Kante will earn.

"Kante's addition to Al-Ittihad is considered one of the most high-profile and impactful signings in the club's history," the statement added.

"It is part of the club's efforts to establish itself as a top choice for world-class players in the Saudi Professional League."

He will wear the number seven shirt, which he also donned at Chelsea.

Current Ballon d'Or holder Benzema joined Al-Ittihad earlier this month, after 14 seasons with Real Madrid in which he won five Champions Leagues, four La Liga titles and three Copas del Rey.

'Very excited'

In a video posted online by the club, the 35-year-old said in a message to his fellow Frenchman: "One time I told you, you're the best player, box to box, in the world. Now I'm happy to play with you again, and of course