Erdogan Intervenes in Kante and En-Nesyri Deals; Political Intervention Ends Transfer Complications

04 February 2026at18:00

Turkish club Fenerbahçe has officially announced the signing of French star N'Golo Kante from Saudi club Al-Ittihad. The deal generated significant buzz in the transfer market, not only due to the player's stature but also because of a prominent political role attributed by reports to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

The transfer process began in the final hours of the winter transfer window with an agreement between Fenerbahçe and Al-Ittihad for Kante's move to Turkey. This was part of a swap deal also linked to the transfer of Moroccan striker Youssef En-Nesyri to Saudi Arabia.

However, the operation encountered a major hurdle at the last minute when the transfer window in Saudi Arabia closed. An administrative error in Al-Ittihad's FIFA Transfer Matching System (TMS) meant the deal was left pending and could not be registered within the stipulated timeframe.

After Fenerbahçe initially announced the failure of both transfers, the issue was ultimately resolved during political meetings in Riyadh. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during an official visit focused on bilateral relations, economic, and political issues, which led to actions that facilitated the registration of both En-Nesyri and Kante.

Erdoğan's direct intervention to complete the two deals was indirectly confirmed by the Fenerbahçe president, who stated: "On behalf of myself and Fenerbahçe Club, I would like to express my gratitude to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for his great support in ensuring a positive conclusion to this process."

Q&A

What caused the initial delay in N'Golo Kante's transfer to Fenerbahçe?

N'Golo Kante's move to Fenerbahçe was initially stalled by an administrative error in Al-Ittihad's FIFA TMS and the Saudi transfer window closure, complicating his swap deal with Youssef En-Nesyri.

How did political intervention facilitate the Kante and En-Nesyri transfer deals?

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, leading to actions that facilitated the registration of both N'Golo Kante and Youssef En-Nesyri, as confirmed by Fenerbahçe's president.