With four months to go before the 2026 FIFA World Cup, N’Golo Kanté, 34, has left Al-Ittihad and Saudi Arabia to begin a new chapter in Turkey with Fenerbahçe, as he looks to retain his place in the French national team.
The midfielder’s transfer had originally been scheduled for Monday but was delayed after Fenerbahçe, who were seeking to include their Moroccan striker Youssef En-Nesyri in the deal, accused Al-Ittihad of having “incorrectly entered” the transaction details into FIFA’s dedicated transfer system, preventing the move from being completed within the required timeframe.
The issue was resolved on Tuesday following mediation by FIFA, according to several sources. Fenerbahçe owner Sadettin Saran also publicly thanked Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan “for his unwavering support, which allowed this deal to be concluded positively”.
Teşekkürlerimizle
— Fenerbahçe SK (@Fenerbahce) February 4, 2026
🔗 https://t.co/D1mzOcgdu5 pic.twitter.com/8NQUtZXq4E
After two and a half years at Al-Ittihad, the French midfielder now joins the side currently second in the Turkish league, renowned for the intense atmosphere at the Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium in Istanbul. Kanté has previously played in France with US Boulogne and SM Caen, in England with Leicester City and Chelsea, and in Saudi Arabia with Al-Ittihad.
The France international, who has earned 65 caps and scored twice, has signed a contract until June 2028. However, his focus is firmly on next summer’s World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.
