Fenerbahçe have pointed the finger at Saudi club Al-Ittihad following the dramatic collapse of a proposed transfer involving French midfielder N’Golo Kanté, insisting the deal failed due to errors beyond their control.
In a statement released by the Turkish giants, Fenerbahçe said they had met all conditions required to complete the move, which also included Morocco striker Youssef En-Nesyri heading to Al-Ittihad as part of the arrangement.
According to the club, agreements had already been reached with all players involved, and Kanté had successfully completed his medical examinations. Fenerbahçe stressed that they fulfilled their obligations “completely and on time” and remained confident the deal would be registered before the deadline.
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However, complications reportedly arose during the final submission phase. Fenerbahçe claim that Al-Ittihad made an incorrect entry on FIFA’s Transfer Matching System (TMS), causing delays that proved impossible to resolve before the transfer window closed.
The club explained that the transactions could not be completed within the registration period, independent of their actions. Despite requesting additional time and engaging in talks with FIFA to salvage the move, the situation failed to progress.
Fenerbahçe further alleged that Al-Ittihad did not complete the necessary steps and offered no explanation for the delay, ultimately forcing the deal to collapse.
