6 Active Footballers Who Own a Club After Kante Acquires Royal Excelsior in Belgium

• N’golo Kante has completed the purchase of Belgian club Royal Excelsior Virton
• The Frenchman recently completed a lucrative move to Al-Ittihad in Saudi Arabia
• Kante joins a list of active professional footballers who have stakes in other clubs

N’golo Kante and his associates have officially completed the acquisition of Royal Excelsior Virton Football Club in the third tier of Belgian football.

Kante will take over on July 1 from investor and former owner, Flavio Becca, who helped the club survive going under administration in 2018 with a takeover.

Sports Brief looks at active professional footballers who own a club, including Chelsea's current captain.

1. Cesar Azpilicueta

The Blues' skipper became a board member and co-owner of Hashtag United in 2018. The club initially was a YouTube team but now competes in the Isthmian League North Division, the eighth tier of English football.

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2. Cesc Fabregas

Mirror UK reports that the former Arsenal and Barcelona midfielder became a co-owner of Italian Serie B side, Como, after joining the club on a two-year contract in 2022 after leaving AS Monaco in the top flight.

3. Hector Bellerin

According to 90min, the Sporting CP defender became the second-biggest shareholder of vegan club, Forest Green Rovers, in 2020 while still playing for Arsenal. He left for Barcelona soon after, and the club currently competes in League One.

4. Jamie Vardy

A Premier League winner with Leicester City, he was unveiled as the new co-owner of Rochester New York FC in 2021. He helped revive the club in 2022 after a five-year hiatus.

5. Eden Hazard

The former Chelsea midfielder acquired San Diego 1904 FC in 2019 alongside former teammate, Demba Ba, and were later joined by Yohan Cabaye and Moussa Sow. The club competes in the third division of US soccer.

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6. Wilfried Zaha

The Crystal Palace midfielder acquired Espoir Club D'Abengourou, in the fourth tier of Ivorian football, in September 2022 and has big ambitions for the club. More recently, he formed a three-person consortium with Stormzy and Danny Young in a bid to purchase AFC Croydon Athletic.

Kante’s earnings in Saudi Arabia

Sports Brief also analysed what Kante will earn in Saudi Arabia after sealing a lucrative move and ending his seven-year stay at Stamford Bridge.

The Frenchman will reportedly earn £100mil over four years - £25mil per season - and will retain access to his image and commercial rights.