Sérgio Conceição’s squad at Al Ittihad has undergone a swift shake-up, with the club parting ways with N’Golo Kanté while moving quickly to strengthen their attack with new signings.

The Saudi champions confirmed Kanté’s departure after the French midfielder reportedly refused to train, according to journalist Ben Jacobs. The 2018 World Cup winner had made it clear he no longer wished to continue with Al Ittihad and, per L’Équipe, even declined to wear the club’s colours while awaiting a FIFA ruling on a proposed move to Fenerbahçe.

However, the Turkish club later announced that the transfer failed to materialise due to issues with documentation submission from Al Ittihad. Despite the setback, FIFA authorised Kanté’s exit, bringing an end to his two-and-a-half-year spell with the Saudi side.

On the incoming front, Al Ittihad acted decisively to offset the loss. The club completed the signing of Moroccan striker Youssef En-Nesyri from Fenerbahçe, officially unveiling him as a new attacking reinforcement. En-Nesyri arrives as a replacement for Karim Benzema, who sealed a move to Al Hilal earlier in the week.

The Saudi champions also bolstered their forward line with the acquisition of George Ilenikhena from AS Monaco. En-Nesyri comes in after scoring eight goals in 27 appearances for Fenerbahçe this season, adding proven firepower to Conceição’s options.

Both new signings could be in line to make their debuts in Friday’s high-profile clash against Al Nassr, marking the start of a new chapter for Al Ittihad following Kanté’s exit.