Fenerbahçe has officially announced that 34-year-old N'Golo Kanté has joined the club. Fenerbahçe wrote in an official statement: “Some stories take time – but they never end halfway. Welcome N'Golo Kanté to Fenerbahçe.”
Yesterday, Fenerbahçe released an announcement stating that the deal had collapsed, but a dramatic U-turn has now occurred. Today, Al-Ittihad officially issued a statement confirming that the club has reached an agreement with Kanté to mutually terminate his contract.
The 34-year-old midfielder has a market value of €4.5 million. He made 26 appearances for Al-Ittihad this season, contributing 2 goals and 1 assist. Kanté has previously played for Premier League clubs Leicester City and Chelsea, winning numerous honors during his time in England, including two Premier League titles and one UEFA Champions League title.
Kanté Transfer Timeline:
- February 2: On the final day of the Saudi transfer window, transfer reporters revealed that Kanté was close to agreeing to join Fenerbahçe, with Al-Ittihad offering Kanté plus €10 million in exchange for Youssef En-Nesyri.
- February 3: Fenerbahçe officially announced that the transfers of Kanté and En-Nesyri had failed, as Al-Ittihad failed to complete the procedures twice. After the collapse, media reported that Kanté refused to train with Al-Ittihad and continued to push for the transfer.
- February 4: Al-Ittihad officially announced the mutual termination of Kanté's contract, and En-Nesyri officially joined the club for a transfer fee of approximately €15 million. Subsequently, Fabrizio Romano confirmed the deal with "Here we go," and Fenerbahçe successfully obtained FIFA approval for Kanté's transfer.
