A last-minute administrative mistake has seen Moroccan striker Youssef En-Nesyri remain at Fenerbahçe, after a swap move with Saudi side Al-Ittihad collapsed.
The deal, which would have sent En-Nesyri to Saudi Arabia in exchange for French midfielder N’Golo Kanté, fell apart when Al-Ittihad reportedly entered incorrect details into FIFA’s Transfer Matching System.
By the time the error was spotted, the transfer window had closed.
Fenerbahçe said they had fulfilled all their obligations, adding that attempts to fix the issue with FIFA were unsuccessful.
The collapse is a major blow for both clubs. Fenerbahçe had hoped to land Kanté plus a fee of up to €10 million, while Al-Ittihad wanted En-Nesyri as a replacement for Karim Benzema.
The situation has been particularly awkward. The 28-year-old, Turkey’s most expensive signing at €19.5 million, gave an emotional farewell to teammates after Monday’s 2-0 win over Kocaelispor, believing he was heading to Saudi Arabia.
Earlier interest from clubs like Juventus and Everton is now off the table.
En-Nesyri has three years remaining in his contract. He now faces reintegration into a squad where he has been under pressure from fans, scoring only eight goals this season.
