N'Golo Kante (foto: Getty Images)
N’Golo Kanté went on strike, terminated his Al Ittihad contract, and completed a move to Fenerbahçe. The deal was revived after direct support from Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
The long-running transfer saga involving N’Golo Kanté, Al Ittihad, and Fenerbahçe has finally come to an end. After refusing to train and forcing the termination of his contract in Saudi Arabia, the French midfielder is now set to continue his career in Turkey.
Just one day earlier, the deal had collapsed due to serious administrative errors. Al Ittihad incorrectly completed paperwork in FIFA’s TMS system, the deadline passed, and both transfers were cancelled. At that point, Youssef En-Nesyri had already said goodbye to his teammates in Istanbul, while Kanté remained stuck in Saudi Arabia.
On Thursday, the situation changed completely. Kanté officially terminated his contract with Al Ittihad and agreed terms with Fenerbahçe. In the opposite direction, En-Nesyri will move to Saudi Arabia for a reported fee of €14 million.
The decisive factor behind the sudden breakthrough was political intervention. Fenerbahçe president Sadettin Saran publicly confirmed the involvement of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the President of Turkey.
“Our club has successfully completed the transfer of N’Golo Kanté, one of the most prominent figures in world football. On behalf of myself and our club, I would like to thank our president, Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, for his important support in successfully completing this process, which will contribute to the development of both Fenerbahçe and Turkish football,” Saran said via the club’s official channels.
He also addressed the supporters directly.
“The trust and support we felt from Fenerbahçe’s great fans gave us our strength. Now it is time to transfer this strength onto the pitch. Together we will believe, together we will fight, and together we will succeed.”
For Kanté, the move closes a turbulent chapter in Saudi Arabia and opens a new one in Istanbul. For Fenerbahçe, it represents one of the most high-profile signings in the club’s recent history, achieved only after a dramatic and highly unusual intervention at the highest level.