Newsletters
Istanbul club Fenerbahce expressed gratitude to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday for helping finalize the transfer of French midfielder N’Golo Kante, after a paperwork dispute with Saudi club Al-Ittihad stalled the move.
To help resolve the situation, President Erdogan, who was in Riyadh on Tuesday for a meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, head of the Public Investment Fund that owns Al-Ittihad, intervened to mediate between the parties and help complete the deal.
In a statement released by the club, President Saadettin Saran thanked Erdogan for helping conclude the process, acknowledging his role in overcoming the impasse. "I express my gratitude to our President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, on behalf of myself and our club, for the critical support he provided in ensuring a positive outcome for a process that will benefit both Fenerbahce and Turkish football," Saran said.
N’Golo Kante, a 34-year-old French international midfielder widely regarded as one of the best in his position, was Fenerbahce’s primary target during the January transfer window and was willing to join the Turkish side.
Although Fenerbahce had secured the player’s consent, talks with his team, Saudi club Al-Ittihad, dragged on for nearly a month. Reports indicated that the Saudi side was pressuring Kante to extend his contract and delaying the move to Fenerbahce in order to gain more time for further discussions.
Earlier this week, both clubs reached a swap agreement that would send Fenerbahce’s 28-year-old Moroccan striker Youssef En-Nesyri to Al-Ittihad, along with an additional transfer fee, in exchange for Kante’s release to join the Istanbul side.
Despite the arrangement, Al-Ittihad was reportedly slow in entering Kante’s information into FIFA’s Transfer Matching System (TMS), taking action only at the last minute. As the transfer window closed in Saudi Arabia, both clubs requested and received an extension from FIFA and the Saudi Football Federation. However, the Saudi side once again submitted incorrect data, causing the transfer to collapse.
Following the developments, Fenerbahce released a statement via social media confirming the reports and blaming the Saudi side for the breakdown of the talks. "Despite the efforts, the opposing club failed to complete the process without providing any justification," the club said.
The announcement sparked outrage among Fenerbahce fans, who took to social media to express their frustration over what they saw as deliberate obstruction by Al-Ittihad, accusing the Saudi outfit of acting in bad faith and demanding accountability for the failed transfer.
The news also drew widespread attention in European media, particularly in the French press, where Kante’s blocked move was described as "a breakdown caused by procedural manipulation."
Reports in both Turkish and Saudi media suggested that Kante was furious over the delay, accusing Al-Ittihad of sabotaging the deal to prevent his departure. He was said to have informed the club that he would not join training sessions or participate in any matches until his contract expired.
Eventually, the standoff ended late in the night, as both sides reached a resolution. The transaction was approved by FIFA, the Turkish Football Federation, and the Saudi Football Federation. Under the final agreement, the 34-year-old World Cup winner joins Fenerbahce on a 2.5-year contract. Al-Ittihad will receive Youssef En-Nesyri and a €15 million payment as part of the arrangement.
Fenerbahce announced the deal on social media with the message, "Some stories take time, but they don’t remain unfinished. Welcome to Fenerbahce, N’Golo Kante."
Kante is expected to arrive in Istanbul at 9:30 p.m. local time (GMT+3) at Istanbul Ataturk Airport.
Set as preferred source
Set as preferred source
1 min read
1 min read
