Fenerbahçe announced on their official website on Wednesday that they have signed former Chelsea player and France international defensive midfielder N'Golo Kanté from Al-Ittihad.

According to the Turkish Süper Lig giants' official statement, Kanté has signed on a short-term two-and-a-half-year deal with the club which will only run until the summer of 2028.

Furthermore, according to Sky Sports' renowned Italian transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano, the transfer almost fell through because it failed to receive approval before the Turkish winter transfer window closed.

Al-Ittihad made numerous errors in the transfer deal sheet and documents submitted to FIFA and refused to make corrections, preventing the transfer from being completed before the window closed.

This infuriated Fenerbahçe's management, who publicly criticized Al-Ittihad, claiming the transfer failed at the last minute due to the latter's deliberate obstruction.

Meanwhile, insider sources claim this was one of Al-Ittihad's underhanded tactics to change Kanté's plans, hoping he would back out at the last minute and agree to renew his contract with the club.

Ultimately, Fenerbahçe's management personally contacted FIFA, requesting the football regulatory body to pressure Al-Ittihad, which allowed Kanté's transfer to proceed smoothly in the end.

About N'Golo Kanté

The 34-year-old Kanté was born on March 29, 1991, in Paris, France. He is 1.68 meters tall, plays as a defensive midfielder, and holds dual French and Malian citizenship.

Kanté joined the youth academy of a non-league club in the western suburbs of Paris at the age of eight. In 2010, he joined Boulogne's youth academy and completed his Boulogne first-team debut by coming on as a substitute in May 2012.

After his contract expired the following summer, Kanté joined Caen as a free agent.

During his two-year spell at Caen, Kanté earned praise for his excellent tackling abilities.

In August 2015, Kanté joined Leicester City for £5.6 million.

During his time with the Foxes, Kanté helped the club pull off a stunning 500-1 odd Premier League title win.

The following July, Kanté moved to Chelsea for £32 million.

During his seven-year spell with the Blues, Kanté won the Premier League, FA Cup, Champions League, Europa League, UEFA Super Cup, and FIFA Club World Cup title once each with the club.

After his contract expired in the summer of 2023, Kanté joined Al-Ittihad on a free transfer.

During his two-and-a-half-year spell with Al-Ittihad, Kanté made 105 appearances in all competitions for the club, scoring 10 goals and providing 11 assists, winning the Saudi Pro League and Saudi King's Cup title once each with the club.

Image source: Internet