Chelsea has announced the signing of French midfielder N'Golo Kante from Lille for €35 million ($41.7 million) in a deal that could see him join up with former club manager Maurizio Sarri.

The transfer fee is believed to be one of the highest ever paid by a Premier League club and will see Kante move to Stamford Bridge after four years at Stade de France.

Kante, who has won three successive Ligue 1 titles with Lille, is set to become the third most expensive player in Premier League history behind only Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

He joins fellow countryman Eden Hazard as part of a new era at Chelsea under Sarri, who took over from Antonio Conte earlier this season.

Sarri's arrival was seen as a major coup for Chelsea, who had struggled in recent seasons under Conte, and the Italian coach has already been praised for his ability to bring out the best in players like Kante.

"Kante is a world-class player who can make a significant impact on our team," said Sarri. "I am looking forward to working with him and I believe he will be a great addition to our squad."

Kante, who has won 22 caps for France, is expected to play a key role in Chelsea's bid for silverware next season, having played a crucial role in Lille's title triumph last term.

His arrival comes just weeks after the Blues lost star striker Diego Costa to AS Monaco, but the club remains hopeful of bringing in a replacement in the January transfer window.

The summer transfer window is also likely to be busy for Chelsea, with reports suggesting that they may be interested in signing Manchester City's John Stones or Liverpool's Joe Gomez.

Overall, the Kante signing is a significant boost for Chelsea and could be a turning point in their pursuit of success in the Premier League.