ISTANBUL (AP) — World Cup winner N’Golo Kante’s transfer to Fenerbahce has fallen through, with the Turkish club blaming Al Ittihad.
Fenerbahce said the deal included a player swap and Moroccan striker Youssef En-Nesyri was expected to join Al Ittihad, but it could not be completed on Monday due to a clerical error made by the Saudi club.
Fenerbahçe said, “Due to incorrect input of TMS (Transfer Matching System) information by the other club, we were unable to complete the procedure within the transfer registration period due to reasons independent of our club,” adding, “We paid close attention to every detail.”
The use of FIFA TMS is mandatory for all international transfers.
“An extension was requested, our club held the necessary discussions with FIFA and all measures were taken to resolve the process,” Fenerbahçe added. “Despite this, in the ongoing process, the other club failed to complete the process without providing us with any legitimacy.”
Kante, 34, joined Al Ittihad in 2023 and recently returned to the French national team, making his 65th appearance for Les Bleus in a 4-0 win over Ukraine in November.
Fenerbahce are aiming to win the Turkish league for the first time in 12 years. In the transfer market, they acquired fellow French national team midfielder Matteo Guendouzi, hoping to regain his place in the national team ahead of the World Cup.
___
AP Soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
