Kante Transfer to Fenerbahce Collapses on Deadline

N'Golo Kanté's anticipated transfer from Al-Ittihad to Fenerbahçe collapsed on the final day of the Turkish Super Lig's winter transfer window in January 2026, derailing a deal that had appeared all but complete.

The 34-year-old French midfielder, a key figure in France's 2018 World Cup triumph and multiple Chelsea Premier League titles, had agreed personal terms with Fenerbahçe and undergone medical checks in Saudi Arabia. The arrangement included a reported 4 million euro fee to Al-Ittihad, coupled with Moroccan forward Youssef En-Nesyri moving in the opposite direction to replace the departed Karim Benzema. En-Nesyri, who has scored eight goals in 27 appearances for Fenerbahçe this season, even bid farewell to teammates after a recent match, signaling his imminent departure.

The breakdown occurred due to an administrative error by Al-Ittihad in entering information into FIFA's Transfer Matching System, preventing the registrations from processing before the deadline. Fenerbahçe, in an official statement, emphasized that it had fulfilled all obligations, including uploading documents on time and securing approvals. "The transfer process involving N'Golo Kanté and Youssef...