According to the Saudi state channel, Karim Benzema will sign with Al-Ittihad

2023-06-04 15:24:24

By Le Figaro with AFP

Published
55 minutes ago
,
Update 44 minutes ago

Karim Benzema ISABEL INFANTES / REUTERS

The Ballon d’Or should join the Saudi club, according to a local television channel.

French Ballon d’Or Karim Benzema will sign with Saudi club Al-Ittihad from Real Madrid, Saudi state TV channel Al-Ekhbariya reported on Sunday. “The Al-Ittihad club have reached a formal agreement with Frenchman Karim Benzema to join their ranks in a contract that spans two seasons“, she specifies. According to the channel, the club’s president and his deputy are in Madrid “to officially sign“with the striker a contract”record».

Real announced at midday the departure of its 35-year-old captain, who, according to the club, willput an end to his brilliant and unforgettable stage as a player of our club“. Benzema, who spent 14 seasons at Real Madrid, should therefore join the other ex-star of the Spanish club, Cristiano Ronaldo, in the championship of the wealthy Gulf oil monarchy. Arrived in 2009 in Madrid from Lyon, the French striker won with Real 25 titles including five Champions League. His last European coronation, in 2022, opened the doors to the Ballon d’Or, the first for a French player since Zinédine Zidane in 1998.

Read also353 goals, 25 titles, 1 Ballon d’Or…The 10 crazy numbers of Karim Benzema’s career at Real Madrid

Since Tuesday, the Spanish press has been talking about an offer from Al-Ittihad to the French striker. Based in the coastal city of Jeddah, on the shores of the Red Sea, Al-Ittihad were crowned champions of Saudi Arabia this season ahead of Al-Nassr, the club of Cristiano Ronaldo. The world’s largest crude oil exporter, Saudi Arabia is increasingly relying on sport to diversify its economy and provide itself with a better international image, tarnished by recurring accusations of human rights violations. Cristiano Ronaldo agreed at the end of December for two and a half years with Al-Nassr for a contract whose amount would reach, according to unconfirmed information, 400 million dollars.

According to several media, the seven-time Ballon d’Or and Argentine world champion Lionel Messi, whose departure from PSG was made official on Saturday, also received a staggering offer of around 400 million euros per year to land at his turn in the kingdom.

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