Saudi Arabia's Al-Ittihad Club announced in an official statement today the end of French star N'Golo Kanté's time with the first football team, confirming his departure from the club after a period of defending its colors. This announcement came after a final agreement was reached for the player to transfer to Turkish club Fenerbahçe during the current transfer window, marking the beginning of a new professional journey for the former World Cup winner in Turkish football.

A touching farewell from Al-Ittihad to "Kante the Giver"

In a gesture reflecting the high regard for the player, Al-Ittihad's official Twitter account posted a farewell message: "Goodbye, Kante, the generous one. Thank you, N'Golo, for everything you've given to the team over the past years." These words underscore Kante's pivotal role in Al-Ittihad's midfield, where he was known throughout his career for his tactical discipline and fighting spirit, making him one of the most prominent names to have graced the Saudi Professional League.

Behind the scenes of the departure and the Youssef En-Nesyri deal

Sources revealed that N'Golo Kanté's departure stemmed from the breakdown of contract renewal negotiations with Al-Ittihad Jeddah recently, coinciding with the French player's clear desire for a new challenge. Turkish club Fenerbahçe has shown strong interest in acquiring his services. This transfer is part of a broader flurry of activity in Al-Ittihad's transfer market, as Kanté's departure is expected to be offset by the official signing of Moroccan international striker Youssef En-Nesyri during the current transfer window, a move aimed at bolstering the team's attacking prowess.

The impact of the deal and preparations for facing Al-Nasr

This radical change to Al-Ittihad's roster of professional players comes at a very sensitive time, as the team prepares for a crucial match against their arch-rivals, Al-Nassr. The match is scheduled for next Friday at Al-Awwal Park Stadium, as part of the 21st round of the Saudi Professional League. Al-Ittihad fans are eagerly awaiting news on how the coaching staff will cope with the absence of a key player like Kanté in midfield against Al-Nassr's potent attack. Meanwhile, hopes are pinned on the impact Youssef En-Nesyri will make upon joining the team.

Kante’s move to the Turkish league and En-Nesyri’s joining Al-Ittihad are significant events at the regional and international levels, given the players’ great market and technical value, reflecting the continued strong activity of Saudi clubs in the global transfer market.

Moroccan star Youssef En-Nesyri, striker for the first football team of Turkish club Fenerbahce, has made a major surprise in the transfer market, after he officially terminated his contract with his current team, in preparation for moving to the Saudi club Al-Ittihad “Al-Ameed” during the current transfer period.

According to information from reliable journalist Yağız Sabunçoğlu, Youssef En-Nesyri made the decisive decision to unilaterally terminate his contract in the past few hours, thus ending his time in Turkish football and paving the way for his official move to Al-Ittihad. This bold move comes as part of a shared desire between the player and the Jeddah club's management to bolster their attack with world-class players capable of making a difference.

Kante moves to Türkiye in an indirect swap deal

In a related development, the transfer of French star N'Golo Kanté to Turkish club Fenerbahçe has been confirmed. He will replace Youssef En-Nesyri at the Turkish club, albeit in a different position. This move came after Kanté refused to extend his contract with Al-Ittihad, following the breakdown of previous transfer negotiations. The deal was finally finalized with his departure to the Turkish league, thus freeing up a spot for En-Nesyri to be registered in Al-Ittihad's squad.

A race against time before Al-Nassr's classic match

Al-Ittihad's management is racing against time to finalize all administrative and legal procedures related to registering Youssef En-Nesyri with the Saudi Professional League. This urgency stems from the coaching staff's desire to utilize the services of the "Moroccan Lion" in the highly anticipated and crucial match against Al-Nassr in the Saudi Professional League's top fixture. Al-Ittihad fans are heavily relying on En-Nesyri's scoring prowess to secure victory in this classic encounter.

A distinguished career and added artistic value to the Roshan League

Youssef En-Nesyri's move to the Saudi league is a significant addition, given his illustrious career. En-Nesyri has made a name for himself in European football, particularly with Sevilla FC in Spain, where he played a key role in the team's two Europa League titles, thanks to his decisive goals and trademark leaping ability.

On the international stage, football fans will never forget En-Nesyri's heroic performance with the Moroccan national team at the 2022 Qatar World Cup, where he led the Atlas Lions to an unprecedented historic achievement by reaching the semi-finals, scoring the historic winning goal against Portugal with a stunning, gravity-defying leap. This accumulated experience makes him a winning acquisition by all accounts for Al-Ittihad, a club striving to reclaim its former glory and compete strongly for all domestic and continental titles.

The impact of the deal on the balance of power

The arrival of En-Nesyri is expected to transform Al-Ittihad's attack, as the team has long lacked a true "number 9" striker with En-Nesyri's high-pressing and aerial prowess. Conversely, Kante's departure represents a significant loss in midfield, but replacing him with a lethal striker could restore balance to the squad, especially given the fierce competition with Al-Hilal, Al-Nassr, and Al-Ahli for the top spot in the Saudi League, which has garnered global attention.

The Moroccan Football Federation, in an escalation aimed at protecting the national team's rights, has officially announced its decision to appeal the sanctions issued by the Confederation of African Football's (CAF) Disciplinary Committee. This decision comes in the wake of the controversial events that marred the Africa Cup of Nations final between Morocco and Senegal in Rabat two weeks ago.

Details of the crisis and disciplinary decisions

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) Disciplinary Committee issued a series of financial penalties and suspensions against both sides last Thursday. However, the Moroccan Football Federation deemed these decisions unfair and not reflective of the extent of the violations committed by the Senegalese team. In an official statement released on Tuesday, the Moroccan Federation asserted that the final match witnessed serious transgressions, most notably "the temporary withdrawal of the Senegalese players and staff, the pitch invasion by their fans, and the resulting widespread chaos and rioting that threatened the integrity of the competition.".

The Moroccan side believes that the imposed sanctions “do not correspond to the seriousness and gravity of these events,” especially since the Senegalese Federation decided not to appeal, which implicitly indicates its acceptance of the sanctions, which Morocco considered lenient compared to what happened.

The dramatic match scenario in Rabat

The match, played on January 18, was marked by unprecedented tension, with play halted for nearly fifteen minutes in the dying moments of regulation time. The crisis erupted when Senegal's players threatened to walk off the pitch in protest after a goal they had scored was disallowed and a penalty was awarded to Morocco following a VAR review. Despite the players returning and the match resuming, Ibrahim Diaz missed the penalty, allowing Senegal to ultimately secure the title with a goal in extra time.

The excitement was not limited to goals, but extended to include psychological warfare and unsportsmanlike behavior, as players from Morocco and ball boys hid the towels belonging to Senegal's goalkeeper, Edouard Mendy, in a scene that sparked widespread controversy.

The complete list of sanctions and their impact

CAF imposed strict sanctions, including:

• Senegalese side: Coach Pape Thiaw suspended for 5 matches and fined $100,000 for unsportsmanlike conduct. Players Elman Ndiaye and Ismaila Sarr suspended for 2 matches each. The Senegalese Football Federation fined a total of $600,000 ($300,000 for fan misconduct and $300,000 for team conduct).
• On the Moroccan side: Captain Achraf Hakimi was suspended for two matches (one suspended), and Ismail Saïbari was suspended for three matches and fined $100,000. The Moroccan Football Federation was also fined $200,000 for the conduct of its ball boys and $100,000 for players invading the VAR room.

This appeal comes at a time when African football is witnessing fierce competition, as Morocco seeks to confirm its continental and international standing not only technically, but also administratively, by ensuring the strict application of the principles of justice and fair play.