Kante has signed a five-year contract on Teesside, and has become Boro’s second summer addition after Alfie Jones, who joined from Hull.
Boro have agreed a deal worth around €3m with Troyes, who are part of the City Football Group of clubs that includes Manchester City, with Kante ready to link up with his new team-mates at Rockliffe Park this week.
Kante, a 20-year-old defensive midfielder, was keen to move to England and test himself in the Championship, having spent last season in the French second tier with Troyes.
Born in the Ivory Coast, Kante developed in the youth ranks of French club Montfermil before joining Troyes’ youth set-up in the summer of 2022.
He was rapidly fast-tracked into the Ligue 2 club’s senior set-up, and was a regular in Troyes’ first-team ranks last season as they finished tenth in the French second division.
Kante has made 47 Ligue 2 appearances, scoring one goal, and also boasts five senior appearances in the Coupe de France.
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He is an Ivorian Under-23 international, and will bolster Boro’s defensive-midfield ranks, which have been diminished following the departure of former club captain Jonny Howson.
Howson’s exit was confirmed last week, with the 37-year-old taking on a player-coach role with Leeds United Under-21s.
Kante’s signing is not related to the ongoing uncertainty over the future of Hayden Hackney, who has been the subject of a formal offer from Ipswich Town.
Ipswich’s bid, which is understood to have been around £20m, did not meet Boro’s requirements, but a dialogue between the two clubs remains ongoing, with Ipswich officials reportedly preparing a renewed approach.
Hackney, who has been the subject of interest from Crystal Palace, Everton and Stuttgart in the past, would prefer not to remain in the Championship if he was to leave his hometown club this summer.
However, Ipswich are reportedly willing to pay him around £35,000-a-week at Portman Road, which would represent a significant increase on his current earnings with Boro.
Ipswich are keen to strengthen their central-midfield ranks following the departure of former Boro midfielder Sam Morsy, who left to join Kuwait SC earlier this summer.
There is also ongoing uncertainty over the future of Boro centre-half Rav van den Berg, who has been the subject of interest from Dutch club Feyenoord and German side FC Koln this summer.
Boro rejected two offers from Feyenoord and have not struck an agreement with Koln, but the continental interest appears to be building.
Van den Berg, whose current Boro contract still has two years remaining, was withdrawn from last weekend’s friendly draw at Rangers after suffering a back spasm in the warm-up.
