Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri has admitted that he understands N'Golo Kante's decision to join Chelsea, but was hopeful that the midfielder would stay put.
The France international was offered an improved contract at the King Power Stadium, but opted to join the Blues at the weekend in a deal that cost a reported £32m.
Kante was a pivotal player in the Foxes' historic Premier League title-winning campaign last season, featuring in all but one of the team's top-flight games.
Ranieri has revealed that he urged the squad to ignore potential suitors during this transfer window, and he was successful with Jamie Vardy, who has agreed a new deal, but he could not keep hold of Kante.
"It can happen that you lose an important component of your squad, but I had hoped everybody would have stayed and listened to my advice, which was for us all to experience this Champions League adventure together," Ranieri told Gazzetta dello Sport.
"Then, everybody would have been free to do something different next summer, but I do realise that a call from a club like Chelsea cannot leave you indifferent."
Kante cost Leicester a reported £5.6m fee when they signed him from Caen last year.
Danielle Joynson
