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Fenerbahce has officially completed a player exchange with Saudi Arabian club Al Ittihad, acquiring French midfielder N'Golo Kante in return for Moroccan striker Youssef En-Nesyri, the Istanbul club announced after registering the deal with the Turkish Football Federation.
The 34-year-old World Cup winner joins Fenerbahce on a 2.5-year contract as Al Ittihad pays 15 million euros plus Kante for En-Nesyri. The agreement came together after Al Ittihad failed to upload required documents to the Transfer Matching System (TMS) before the Saudi transfer deadline, temporarily blocking both moves.
Al Ittihad subsequently uploaded the necessary paperwork to the TMS system, allowing the trade to proceed. The Saudi club confirmed Kante's departure through social media, while Fenerbahce notified the TFF of both the French midfielder's registration and En-Nesyri's exit.
In announcing the completion, Fenerbahce referenced the difficulty of finalizing the deal. The club stated there was "blood, sweat and tears" involved in securing the transfer, adding that "giving up is not in our dictionary."
The Turkish club had pursued Kante for an extended period before reaching terms with Al Ittihad on the exchange.
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The French midfielder is scheduled to arrive in Istanbul at midday to complete formalities with his new club. Kante joined Al Ittihad in 2023 after seven seasons with Chelsea, where he won the Premier League, Champions League, and other major honors.
The transfer represents a significant coup for Fenerbahce as they seek to strengthen their squad. Kante brings extensive experience from top European competitions, having also won the World Cup with France in 2018.
En-Nesyri departs Fenerbahce as part of the exchange in a deal that values him at 15 million euros. The striker's move to Al Ittihad reunites him with the Saudi Pro League club that was willing to include their established midfielder in the trade.
The resolution of the administrative crisis allows both clubs to register their new signings despite the initial deadline complications. Al Ittihad's failure to submit documents on time during the final day of Saudi Arabia's transfer window had threatened to derail both transactions entirely.
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