N'Golo Kante goes to Al Ittihad, Son Heung-min stays in UK

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 and the Champions League and World Club Cup with Chelsea - as well as back-to-back Premier League titles with Leicester City and Chelsea.

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.

The Saudi club said: "Kante's addition to Al-Ittihad is considered one of the most high-profile and impactful signings in the club's history.

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.

Tottenham Hotspur forward Son Heung-min, however, has shut down rumours that he could follow some of Europe's top players to Saudi Arabia anytime soon, adding that money is not his concern at the moment.

Al-Ittihad are keen to sign the South Korea forward for around 50 million pounds ($63.62 million) and are preparing to offer Son a long-term deal worth 25 million pounds per year, British media have reported.

"I have many things to do in the Premier League," Son said on Tuesday after South Korea's 1-1 friendly draw with El Salvador.

"Money doesn't matter to me now, and the pride of playing football, to play in my favourite league is important."

With its oil riches, Saudi Arabia - a conservative monarchy frequently criticised over its human rights record - has swiftly achieved a prominent role in world sports.