#8 N’golo Kante (Jan 2016: €25 million, Now: €53 million)
Increase in value: €28 million
Chelsea star N’Golo Kante has taken his game to new heights under Antonio Conte this season. The Chelsea midfield enforcer won the PFA Player of the Year award and while Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez stole all the headlines in Leicester City’s fairytale Premier League triumph last season, Kante was arguably the Foxes’ most important player.
After signing for Chelsea for a reported fee of £32 million, Kante has cemented his reputation as one of the best central defensive midfielders in the world. Only the second player (after Eric Cantona) to win Premier League titles with two different clubs, the Frenchman’s all actions tyle of play coupled with his boundless energy and dynamism has made him one of Conte’s favourite players.
Still only 26, Kante will be hoping to play a bigger role for his national team and win some major honours with his county in the coming tournaments. Kante quite simply put has been the best summer signing of the 2016-17 Premier League season.