Gary Lineker: 'Leicester City will rue N'Golo Kante departure'

Ngolo Kante and Harry Arter in action during the game between Leicester and Bournemouth on January 2, 2016
© Getty Images
Gary Lineker believes that Leicester City will struggle to replicate last season's historic achievements without midfielder N'Golo Kante.

Gary Lineker has claimed that Leicester City will struggle to replicate last season's achievements without midfielder N'Golo Kante.

The 25-year-old, who helped the East Midlands club to the Premier League title, left the King Power Stadium in the summer to join Antonio Conte's Chelsea for a fee of around £30m.

Lineker, a Leicester native who began his career at the Foxes, told BBC Sport: "Kante allowed Ranieri to play the system he did.

"He can't do that anymore. Kante was the most unsung of the big three players, but he was probably the most important."

The France international made the most tackles (175) and most interceptions (157) of any player in the top five European leagues during the last campaign.

Jeff Schlupp in action for Leicester on September 13, 2014
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Tables
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Manchester UnitedMan Utd11003123
2Liverpool11004313
3Chelsea11002113
4Hull City11002113
5Manchester CityMan City11002113
6Swansea CitySwansea11001013
7West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom11001013
8Everton10101101
9Middlesbrough10101101
10Southampton10101101
11Stoke CityStoke10101101
12Tottenham HotspurSpurs10101101
13Watford10101101
14Arsenal100134-10
15Leicester CityLeicester100112-10
16Sunderland100112-10
17West Ham UnitedWest Ham100112-10
18Burnley100101-10
19Crystal Palace100101-10
20Bournemouth100113-20