Fenerbahçe's Move for Wout Faes: What Do His Performances at Leicester and Monaco Say About a Transfer?

Who is Wout Faes, Targeted by Fenerbahçe? What Does the 2025/26 Season Reveal?

As Fenerbahçe continues its search for a center-back, one of the latest names to emerge is Belgian defender Wout Faes.

According to Doruk Tecimer's report, the yellow-navy team has gathered information about the transfer conditions of the 28-year-old center-back, who played for Leicester City. It is also noted that Fenerbahçe has been in contact with players like Nathan Aké, Kim Min-jae, and Malang Sarr during the same period.

So how did Wout Faes perform this season?

The Season Was Split in Two

Faes spent the first half of the 2025/26 season at Leicester City. He was one of the key parts of the defense during the English club's poor season in the Championship.

• 15 Championship matches

• 1 goal

• 854 minutes

However, Leicester could not avoid relegation at the end of the season and dropped to League One.

In January, a new chapter in his career began.

The Belgian center-back spent the second half of the season on loan at Ligue 1 team Monaco.

Quality of Passing Stood Out at Monaco

Faes played 14 matches in Ligue 1 for Monaco, starting 13 of them and accumulating 1,141 minutes of playtime.

The statistics are particularly striking in terms of ball usage:

• 90.7% passing accuracy

• 548 successful passes

• 720 total touches

As the profile of center-backs who can build play from the back gains more importance in modern football, Faes's performance in this area stands out.

Achieving such a passing percentage in a team like Monaco, which prefers to dominate possession, is an important indicator.

Defensive Strengths and Weaknesses

Faes's defensive statistics generally paint a balanced profile:

• 62 clearances

• 8 interceptions

• 6 tackles

• 33 ball recoveries

However, some numbers raise questions.

The Belgian center-back:

• Won only 40.8% of duels

• Had a success rate of 33.3% in aerial duels

These two data points are particularly noteworthy when considering the physical intensity of challenges in the Süper Lig and European qualifiers.

Champions League Experience

Faes also played in the UEFA Champions League with Monaco in the second half of the season.

• 2 matches

• 180 minutes

• 2 times in the starting eleven

This experience is one of the significant factors that could work in favor of Fenerbahçe's European ambitions.

Is He the Right Profile for Fenerbahçe?

When evaluating Wout Faes's 2025/26 season overall, an interesting profile emerges.

Strengths:

• Experienced age profile (28)

• High passing quality

• Ability to build play from the back

• Experience with the Belgian National Team

• Champions League experience

Questions:

• Aerial duel success

• Duel win rate

• Being part of a defense that was relegated with Leicester

Compared to top-tier options like Kim Min-jae or Nathan Aké, who are on Fenerbahçe's list, Faes stands out as a more accessible and economical alternative.

However, statistics indicate that he is more of a passer who can add value within the right system than an elite-level defensive leader.

If the transfer occurs, he could be a name that adds quality to Fenerbahçe's defense in terms of ball usage.