Fenerbahce has officially announced the acquisition of former Leicester and Chelsea midfielder N’Golo Kanté.
The France international seemed poised to remain at Al Ittihad after negotiations stalled, with Fenerbahce citing the Saudi club for the breakdown in discussions.
According to the Turkish side, Al Ittihad did not adhere to FIFA regulations regarding transfer registrations.
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Nevertheless, Al Ittihad later shared a farewell message to Kanté on X, indicating their agreement to sell the remaining duration of his contract.
Kanté, 34, is returning to European football after his stint in the Saudi Pro League that began in 2023.
He celebrated back-to-back Premier League titles with Leicester and Chelsea in 2016 and 2017 and also lifted a Champions League trophy with the latter club.
He was part of the France squad that won the 2018 World Cup.
He is the second French midfielder to sign with Fenerbahce during this transfer window, following the addition of former Arsenal player Matteo Guendouzi, who also made the move to Istanbul.