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Mohamadou Kanté

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Mohamadou Kanté
Personal information
Full name Mohamadou Kanté[1]
Date of birth (2005-09-20) 20 September 2005 (age 21)
Place of birth Paris, France
Height 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in)
Position Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 West Ham United
Number 17
Youth career
–2021 Jeunesse Aubervilliers
2021–2024 Paris FC
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2023–2024 Paris FC B 9 (2)
2024– West Ham United 22 (3)
2024–2025 → Paris FC (loan) 6 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 16:51, 24 October 2026 (UTC)

Mohamadou Kanté (born 20 September 2005) is a French professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for EFL Championship club West Ham United.[2] He began his senior career in France with Paris FC before joining West Ham in 2024. After spending the 2024–25 season back at Paris FC on loan, he returned to England and made his Premier League debut for West Ham in December 2025.

Club career

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Early career and Paris FC

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Kanté was born in Paris, France, on 20 September 2005. He began playing at youth level with Jeunesse Aubervilliers before joining the youth system of Paris FC in 2021.[3] He progressed through Paris FC’s academy and represented the club’s reserve side. In the 2023–24 season, he scored two goals in nine matches for Paris FC B in the Régional 1.[4] He was also involved around the senior squad as his development at the club continued.

West Ham United and loan to Paris FC

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On 22 August 2024, it was announced that he had signed a five-year contract with Premier League club West Ham United.[5] As part of the arrangement, he was loaned back to Paris FC for the rest of the 2024–25 season.[6][7]

During the loan spell, Kanté made six league appearances for Paris FC as the club finished second in Ligue 2 and gained promotion to Ligue 1.[8] His appearances came predominantly during the closing months of the campaign as he began to receive regular senior playing time.

2025–26 season

[edit]

Kanté returned to West Ham ahead of the 2025–26 season and initially featured prominently for the club’s under-21 side. He scored on his first competitive appearance for the under-21s, in a 2–0 National League Cup victory over Woking on 13 August 2025.[9] He subsequently scored in Premier League 2 matches against Manchester City[10] and Sunderland[11] during August and against Liverpool[12] in November, while also featuring in the EFL Trophy[13] and further in the National League Cup.[3]

On 27 October 2025, West Ham announced that Kanté had signed a new contract with the club, extending his stay until the summer of 2031.[14] His progress at under-21 level led to involvement with the senior squad. On 4 December 2025, Kanté made his debut for West Ham, coming on as an 83rd minute substitute in a 1–1 Premier League draw against Manchester United.[15] He went on to make 10 further substitute appearances in the Premier League during the remainder of the season.[13]

Kanté also gained his first senior starts during West Ham’s 2025–26 FA Cup campaign. On 14 February 2026, he started the fourth-round tie away to Burton Albion, which West Ham won 1–0 after extra time.[16] He retained a place in the starting XI for the fifth-round match against Brentford at the London Stadium on 9 March, with West Ham advancing following a penalty shoot-out.[17] He later appeared as a substitute in the quarter-final against Leeds United.[18]

Across the 2025–26 season, Kanté made 14 senior appearances for West Ham, comprising eleven in the Premier League and three in the FA Cup.[13] West Ham finished 18th in the Premier League and were relegated to the EFL Championship at the end of the season.

2026–27 season

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Following West Ham’s relegation, Kanté became more involved in the first-team starting XI at the beginning of the 2026–27 season season. On 16 August 2026, he started West Ham’s opening Championship fixture away to Burnley. With West Ham leading 1–0, Kanté advanced down the right side of the penalty area and created the chance from which Manor Solomon scored the visitors’ second goal in the 72nd minute. Burnley subsequently recovered to draw the match 2–2.[19]

On 5 September 2025, Kanté scored his first goal for the club, scoring the third in a 3–0 win against Derby County.[20][21] On 19 September 2026, Kanté picked up his first red card of his career, after committing a professional foul on Millwall winger Kyrell Lisbie. Kanté also scored in the game against their rivals, scoring West Ham's first in an eventual 2–2 draw to take his tally to three for the season.[22][23][24]

Style of play

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Kanté is primarily a central or defensive midfielder. During his development at West Ham, he was regularly deployed in a deeper midfield role for the under-21 side, while also being used as a central midfielder.[25] His game has been associated with physical strength, stamina and the ability to contribute in both defensive and attacking phases.[26]

Personal life

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Born in France, Kanté is of Malian and Senegalese descent.[27][28][29]

Career statistics

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As of match played 14 October 2026
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[a] League cup[b] Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Paris FC B 2023–24[4] Régional 1 9200—92
Paris FC (loan) 2024–25[8] Ligue 2 6000—60
West Ham United U21s 2025–26[13] —5[c]050
West Ham United 2025–26[13] Premier League 1103000—140
2026–27[30] Championship 930030—123
Total 203303000263
Career total 355303050465
  1. ↑ Includes Coupe de France, FA Cup
  2. ↑ Includes EFL Cup
  3. ↑ Appearances in EFL Trophy

References

[edit]
  1. ↑ "2025/26 Premier League updated squad lists". Premier League. 5 February 2026. Retrieved 14 April 2026.
  2. ↑ Mohamadou Kanté at Soccerway. Retrieved 2026-10-07.
  3. 1 2 "Mohamadou Kanté player profile". West Ham United F.C. 2026. Retrieved 21 August 2026.
  4. 1 2 "Mohamadou Kante en prêt au Paris FC" [Mohamadou Kante on loan at Paris FC]. Paris FC (in French). 22 August 2024. Retrieved 28 April 2025.
  5. ↑ "West Ham United sign Mohamadou Kanté". West Ham United F.C. Retrieved 28 April 2025.
  6. ↑ "West Ham transfer news: Mohamadou Kante joins from Paris FC before returning on loan". BBC Sport. 22 August 2024. Retrieved 28 April 2025.
  7. ↑ "Official | West Ham sign Mohamadou Kanté from Paris FC". Get French Football News. 22 August 2024. Retrieved 28 April 2025.
  8. 1 2 "2024–2025 Mohamadou Kanté Match Logs". FBref. 2025. Retrieved 21 August 2026.
  9. ↑ "Woking vs West Ham United U21: National League Cup stats & head-to-head". BBC Sport. 13 August 2025. Retrieved 7 October 2026.
  10. ↑ "Kanté scores but U21s beaten by defending champions Manchester City". West Ham United F.C. 22 August 2025. Retrieved 21 August 2026.
  11. ↑ "U21s defeated in spirited West Ham display". Sunderland A.F.C. 29 August 2025. Retrieved 21 August 2026.
  12. ↑ "In-form U21s see off Liverpool to go seven unbeaten in PL2". West Ham United F.C. 7 November 2025. Retrieved 21 August 2026.
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 "Games played by Mohamadou Kanté in 2025/2026". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 21 August 2026.
  14. ↑ "Young midfielder Mohamadou Kanté signs new contract". West Ham United F.C. 27 October 2025. Retrieved 21 August 2026.
  15. ↑ "I'm proud of my first game in the Premier League". West Ham United F.C. 5 December 2025. Retrieved 7 December 2025.
  16. ↑ "Burton Albion 0–1 West Ham United". BBC Sport. 14 February 2026. Retrieved 21 August 2026.
  17. ↑ "West Ham United 2–2 Brentford". BBC Sport. 9 March 2026. Retrieved 21 August 2026.
  18. ↑ "West Ham United 2–2 Leeds United". BBC Sport. 5 April 2026. Retrieved 21 August 2026.
  19. ↑ Unwin, Will (16 August 2026). "Flemming's dramatic Burnley double pegs back West Ham on Championship return". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 7 October 2026.
  20. ↑ "Match Report | West Ham dominate Derby - West Ham United FC". www.whufc.com. West Ham United F.C. 5 September 2026. Retrieved 7 October 2026.
  21. ↑ "Goals | West Ham United 3-0 Derby County". www.whufc.com. West Ham United F.C. Retrieved 7 October 2026.
  22. ↑ Text, Live (19 September 2026). "Millwall 2-2 West Ham United: Mavropanos earns point as Hammers come from two goals down to snatch derby draw against Lions". BBC Sport. Retrieved 7 October 2026.
  23. ↑ Yang, Maya (6 October 2026). "TK88". Retrieved 7 October 2026.
  24. ↑ Ronay, Barney (19 September 2026). "Kanté and Mavropanos rescue late point for West Ham in derby thriller at Millwall". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 7 October 2026.
  25. ↑ "2025–2026 Mohamadou Kanté Match Logs". FBref. 2026. Retrieved 21 August 2026.
  26. ↑ "L'OM et l'AS Monaco tentent le coup Mohamadou Kanté" [OM and AS Monaco make a move for Mohamadou Kanté]. Foot Mercato (in French). 12 June 2026. Retrieved 21 August 2026.
  27. ↑ Defly, Edinam Franck (20 August 2024). "Transfert : Mohamadou Kante va signer à West Ham" [Transfer: Mohamadou Kante to sign for West Ham]. Africa Top Sports (in French). Retrieved 28 April 2025.
  28. ↑ Hattabi, Dahbia (19 August 2024). "Paris FC : le jeune Mohamadou Kanté va s'engager à West Ham" [Paris FC: young Mohamadou Kanté to sign for West Ham]. Foot Mercato : Info Transferts Football – Actu Foot Transfert (in French). Retrieved 28 April 2025.
  29. ↑ Thomas, Roshane (25 September 2026). "Mohamadou Kante, a 'warrior' from Paris, is West Ham's breakthrough star of the season". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 7 October 2026.
  30. ↑ "Games played by Mohamadou Kanté in 2026/2027". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 21 August 2026.
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