SC Caen coach Patrice Garande admits N'Golo Kante wanted to join Olympique Marseille last summer.
Leicester City snapped up Kante ahead of OM with a superior offer.
Kante is now on the verge of winning a first France cap after a superb season with the Foxes.
"N'Golo Kanté? Olympique de Marseille could not pay the price, but he wanted to go there," says Garande.
Leicester landed the former Caen midfielder for €9 million.