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France World Cup aim
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Fenerbahce have signed N'Golo Kanté after all. Representatives of both sides were confident of completing a deadline-day transfer, but the deal collapsed at the last minute in bizarre circumstances. The 34-year-old's contract at Al-Ittihad was set to expire in the summer, and Fener agreed a fee with the Saudi club to bring Kanté back to Europe. Kante had an agreed personal terms with the Turkish giants and was preparing to fly to Istanbul, but an administrative error by Al-Ittihad scuppered the deal. On Tuesday, FIFA intervened, allowing the transfer to proceed even though the window had already closed in Saudi Arabia.
The initial deal failed as Youssef En-Nesyri was heading in the opposite direction, but that transfer collapsed, and Fenerbahçe have firmly blamed Al-Ittihad in a strongly worded statement. It read: "The transfer process involving Al Ittihad Club, N’Golo Kanté, and Youssef En-Nesyri has been meticulously managed by our club in line with our plans and with utmost care in all respects."
It continued: "However, due to the erroneous entry of the relevant TMS information by the opposing club, the procedures could not be completed within the transfer registration period independently of our club. Accordingly, an extension was requested, the necessary discussions were conducted with FIFA by our club, and all steps have been taken to resolve the process. Despite this, in the ongoing process, the procedures have not been completed by the opposing club without any justification provided to us. As a result of these developments, unfortunately, the said transfer process could not be concluded." With FIFA's interference, the deal is now ready to proceed, allowing Kanté to complete his move back to Europe.
N’Golo Kante in talks over Fenerbahce move
Due to the administrative error, it looked like Kante was forced to remain in Saudi Arabia until the end of the season. Although the Süper Lig window is still open, it's closed for Saudi clubs, which means En-Nesyri couldn't join Al-Ittihad. So the deal appeared to be dead. Thanks to FIFA's interference, which allowed El-Nesyri to join the Saudi club after all, the deal can be completed as planned. On Tuesday, Kanté appeared in the Süper Lig registration system, and an announcement is expected soon.
The French international opted for the riches of the Saudi Pro League in 2023 when his contract with Chelsea expired. Kanté was a surprise inclusion in Didier Deschamps’ France squad for Euro 2024. The midfielder is still entrusted by Deschamps to start for France, and the Süper Lig isn’t on par with the major European leagues. Still being back in Europe is supposed to ensure his inclusion in the France squad ahead of the World Cup. During his pomp at Chelsea and Leicester, Kanté was indisputably one of the best midfielders in the world, and he’s won two Premier League titles and the Champions League during his career.
