Istanbul, February 4, 2024
Kante Completes Fenerbahce Move Amid Transfer System Snafu
N’Golo Kante is now a Fenerbahce player after a brief hold-up caused by a technical issue with FIFA’s transfer matching system.
- France midfielder N’Golo Kante has joined Turkish side Fenerbahce.
- The transfer was briefly stalled due to a problem with FIFA’s transfer system.
- Morocco forward Youssef En-Nesyri has moved to Saudi Arabian club Al-Ittihad.
- The moves follow Karim Benzema’s departure from Al-Ittihad to Al-Hilal.
N’Golo Kante’s transfer to Fenerbahce was finalized on Wednesday, February 4, following a day of uncertainty. The Turkish club announced the signing after resolving a dispute regarding the completion of the deal through FIFA’s transfer matching system. The 34-year-old returns to European football after two and a half seasons with Al-Ittihad.
Transfer System Glitch Briefly Threatens Deal
Fenerbahce initially stated on Tuesday that Al-Ittihad had failed to input the necessary information into FIFA’s transfer matching system, jeopardizing the move. However, Al-Ittihad subsequently announced the sale of Kante, paving the way for the transfer to proceed.
“Welcome to our Fenerbahce, N’Golo Kante,” the club posted on X.
The celebrated midfielder played a pivotal role in France’s 2018 World Cup victory in Russia and is aiming to feature in the 2026 tournament, scheduled to be held in North America next summer. Kante previously secured two English Premier League titles with both Leicester City and Chelsea.
En-Nesyri Joins Al-Ittihad Following Benzema’s Exit
Alongside Kante’s move, Morocco forward Youssef En-Nesyri has joined Saudi Arabian side Al-Ittihad. This transfer occurred after Karim Benzema left Al-Ittihad by mutual agreement on Monday to sign with Al-Hilal.
En-Nesyri, 28, arrived at Fenerbahce in 2024 from Sevilla in Spain’s La Liga, where he scored 38 goals in 79 appearances across all competitions.
