N’ Golo Kante transfer fails: Fenerbahce blames Al-Ittihad for the failed deal

The transfer of World Cup winner N’Golo Kanté to Fenerbahce failed and the Turkish club blames Al-Ittihad.

Fenerbahce said the deal involved a player swap – Moroccan striker Youssef En-Nesyri was expected to join Al-Ittihad – and could not be completed on Monday due to administrative errors made by the Saudi Arabia club.

“Due to incorrect input of the relevant TMS (Transfer Matching System) information by the opposing party, the procedures could not be completed within the transfer registration period, for reasons independent of our club,” Fenerbahce said, adding that “meticulous attention was paid to every detail.”

The use of the FIFA TMS is mandatory for all international transfers.

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“An extension was requested, the necessary discussions have been held by our club with FIFA and all steps have been taken to resolve the process,” Fenerbahce added. “Nevertheless, during the ongoing trial, the opponent failed to complete the procedures without providing us with any justification.”

Kante, 34, who joined Al-Ittihad in 2023, recently returned to the France team and made his 65th appearance for Les Bleus in a 4-0 win against Ukraine in November.

Fenerbahce is chasing its first Turkish league title in twelve years. In the transfer window it recruited another French international, midfielder Matteo Guendouzi, who hopes to regain a place in the national team ahead of the World Cup.

Published on February 3, 2026