
Kante Takes Significant Pay Cut to Join Fenerbahce
Turkish club Fenerbahçe has officially announced the signing of French star N'Golo Kante, bringing an end to one of the most exciting deals of the winter transfer window. All administrative procedures related to his transfer from Saudi club Al-Ittihad were finalized after the legal deadline for the transfer market.
According to Turkish media reports, Kante has signed a contract extending until the summer of 2028, covering two and a half seasons. Under the terms of the deal, he will receive a signing bonus of approximately 14.4 million euros, in addition to a salary of 5.5 million euros until the end of the current season. He will then earn 11 million euros for the 2026-2027 season and a similar amount (11 million euros) for the 2027-2028 season. This brings the total amount the player will receive over the contract duration, including the signing bonus, to more than 40 million euros.
In contrast, the French international was earning an annual salary of 25 million euros with Al-Ittihad. His new annual salary at Fenerbahçe, estimated at 11 million euros, represents a reduction of up to 70% compared to his previous contract.