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Rabat – Saudi Pro League club Al-Ittihad has officially announced the signing of Moroccan international Youssef En-Nesyri. The Saudi giants confirmed the deal late Tuesday, securing the 28-year-old Moroccan striker from Fenerbahçe. After being one of the most talked-about sagas of the winter window, En-Nesyri now arrives in Jeddah to spearhead the club’s attack.
In a statement shared on its official social media channels, Al-Ittihad described the Moroccan forward as a major addition who will be central to the club’s ambitions in both domestic competition and continental play this season.
The announcement brought relief to fans after days of intense speculation and drama surrounding the transfer’s completion.
The path to this official announcement wasn’t simple. Earlier in the week, it looked like the entire deal had collapsed. Reports suggested that a high-profile swap — sending En-Nesyri to Al-Ittihad and French midfielder N’Golo Kanté to Fenerbahçe — fell through due to administrative blunders in FIFA’s Transfer Matching System (TMS). While Fenerbahçe insisted they had met every requirement, they blamed the Saudi side for entering incorrect data, which blocked the registration just as the transfer deadline passed.
This delay created uncertainty over whether the Moroccan international would complete his move before the window closed.
🤝 Say Welcome to our new Moroccan sniper 🤩💫 pic.twitter.com/fwF2k7qOXu
— Al-Ittihad Club (@ittihad_en) February 3, 2026
How the transfer finally happened
According to reports, after the initial setback, Al-Ittihad and Fenerbahçe found an alternative solution that allowed En-Nesyri to join the Saudi club. Sources suggest that the Turkish side agreed to terminate his contract by mutual consent, enabling the forward to sign with Al-Ittihad even after the transfer window’s registration deadlines, a method that has become more common in recent years when deadlines pose challenges.
This approach helped resolve the paperwork issues that had delayed the move, leading to the official announcement of En-Nesyri’s signing late Tuesday.
En-Nesyri joins Al-Ittihad at a critical crossroads. The club has been extremely active this winter after seeing their talisman, Karim Benzema, make a high-profile move to rivals Al-Hilal. The Moroccan striker is expected to lead the line and boost the club’s offensive threat as they chase domestic and continental honors.
His experience in European football, including his time at Sevilla and Fenerbahçe, where he scored regularly, gives Al-Ittihad a proven goalscorer at a time when goals are crucial for league and cup ambitions.
Fans will watch closely as the Moroccan international begins what could be a defining chapter of his career in the Saudi Pro League.
