SPAIN: Karim Benzema is leaving Real Madrid in Spain and is in talks with a football team in Saudi Arabia, as per reports. There has been no formal announcement from Real Madrid or Benzema, but a verbal agreement has been made with the club. Benzema is expected to remain at the club until 2024.
Al Ittihad of the Saudi Pro League is rumoured to be interested in signing Benzema to a three-year contract, with Benzema earning up to €100 million a year. There have also been rumours that Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo had conversations.
Benzema moved from Lyon to Real Madrid in 2009 and has scored 353 goals for the Spanish team. He has won 25 championships, including five UEFA Champion Trophies and four league championships.
In addition to Benzema, Real Madrid signed Ronaldo, Kaká, and Xabi Alonso in 2009, and Ángel Di María and Mesut Özil arrived in 2010. Following them were some well-known athletes, such as Toni Kroos, Luka Modrić, Gareth Bale, James Rodriguez, and Bale.
Ronaldo was able to flourish more than ever after transferring to Juventus in 2018. Benzema has scored 110 goals in La Liga since the 2018–19 season began, and he has also added 34 goals in 48 games in the Champions League. In just one season last year, he scored 15 goals as Madrid advanced to its 14th European championship.
In the 2021–2022 season, Benzema scored 44 goals to help Real Madrid win the UEFA Champions League, La Liga, and Super Cup, earning him the Ballon d’Or honour.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s debut season in Saudi Arabia was disappointing. Still, given the millions of dollars in pay and the interest in Saudi football, he may not be the last megastar to visit the country.
The Saudi Pro League received Ronaldo’s support last week, and he predicted that it would rank among the top five in the world.
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