The strongest defensive midfielder has cut his salary to one-fifth in order to chase the World Cup title, returning to the European league to play in the Europa League.

There are no obstacles that cannot be overcome, only Kanté who seems impossible to get past. Although this is a playful remark, it highlights the strength of the French defensive midfielder Kanté. This key player from the 2018 World Cup-winning team is now willing to take an 80% pay cut to return to Europe’s top leagues and compete in the Europa League, aiming to better prepare for the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada, and Mexico.

Turkish powerhouse Fenerbahçe has officially announced Kanté’s signing. This transfer was quite eventful: on February 3rd, the deal was declared off, but by February 4th, Kanté had terminated his contract with Al-Ittihad and successfully joined Fenerbahçe. Kanté’s firm decision to accept a drastically reduced salary was the key factor that made this transfer possible.

It is reported that Kanté’s annual salary at Al-Ittihad was 25 million euros, but after joining Fenerbahçe, his salary dropped to about one-fifth of that, roughly 5 million euros, marking a cut of nearly 20 million euros.

Kanté has already earned enough during his time playing in Saudi Arabia. Now at 34 years old, he still has dreams and wants to reignite his form by playing in a relatively better football environment — competing in the Turkish league and Europa League. This summer, Kanté aims to help France pursue the World Cup title once again. He is truly a super player with big ambitions.