Real Madrid’s Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema has signed for Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ittihad for 3 years beginning subsequent season, a supply within the Jeddah-based membership instructed AFP on Tuesday.
“Benzema has signed a contract for his switch to Al-Ittihad for a three-year interval beginning subsequent season,” the supply stated.
The announcement comes days after Real Madrid introduced that the 35-year-old was leaving the membership after 14 seasons, the day after coach Carlo Ancelotti had stated there was “little doubt” Benzema’s future was within the Spanish capital.
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Benzema is in line to affix Cristiano Ronaldo within the Gulf kingdom after the Portuguese five-time world participant of the 12 months moved to Al Nassr from Manchester United following final 12 months’s World Cup.
Lionel Messi, who’s leaving Paris Saint-Germain after two seasons, has additionally been linked to a transfer to Saudi Arabia.
Senior officers from Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal have flown to France to try to seal a deal for Messi after the 35-year-old Argentinian performed his final sport for PSG on the weekend.
The Saudi delegation plans to fulfill Messi’s father and agent, Jorge, with the aiming of finishing the signing as quickly as doable, sources instructed AFP on Sunday.
Benzema joined Madrid in 2009 from Ligue 1 aspect Lyon.
He made 647 appearances for Madrid and is the second on Real’s all-time goalscoring record with 353 — solely Cristiano Ronaldo has extra.
Real Madrid’s French ahead Karim Benzema celebrates scoring a aim from the penalty spot throughout the Spanish league soccer match between Real Madrid CF and Athletic Club Bilbao on the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid on June 4, 2023. (Photo by Pierre-Philippe MARCOU / AFP)Source: AFP
He has lifted 5 Champions Leagues, 4 La Liga titles and three Copas del Rey with Madrid and is the holder of the Ballon d’Or for the world’s finest participant.
But after a stellar 2021-22 season when he lead Real to the Champions League, he has been troubled by accidents within the just-completed season and needed to miss France’s World Cup marketing campaign with a thigh downside.
Saudi Arabia is hoping to lure a swathe of world-famous footballers together with Luka Modric and Hugo Lloris with a $3 billion warfare chest after a number of golf equipment had been successfully taken over by the federal government.
“More than 10” seasoned gamers together with N’Golo Kante and Roberto Firmino have been approached, a supply stated, by the oil-rich kingdom which has ambitions of internet hosting the World Cup and is betting on sport to assist revamp its austere picture.
In addition to Messi, “the record contains Benzema, (Sergio) Ramos, (Angel) Di Maria, Modric, Lloris, Kante, Firmino, (Jordi) Alba and (Sergio) Busquets”.
