Official: Karim Benzema leaves Real Madrid and goes to Saudi Arabia

Karim Benzema (35) bids farewell to Real Madrid. The French striker has officially informed the white club that he is leaving the club to go to the Saudi Super League. He will sign a two-season contract for a total of 200 million euros excluding taxes and will also receive a bonus to be an ambassador for the Saudi bid for the 2030 World Cup.

Karim Benzema has told Florentino Pérez of his wish to leave. It’s not just for economic reasons. His personal and private situation made him think that a change of scenery suited him. This has been made known to the president, Florentino Pérez, who considers that in addition to these personal reasons, he cannot deny an almost 36-year-old player who gave everything for Madrid the possibility of signing a last contract of this magnitude. . . . Real Madrid have prepared a farewell for Benzema of those who make an era. It will be at the Bernabéu, surrounded by all the trophies he has won during these fifteen years in white.

Benzema was seduced by Arab temptation. He was de facto renewed at Madrid due to the ‘Ballon d’Or clause’, which gave him one more year at Real Madrid, but in recent days he has changed his plans in the face of an irresistible offer in economic terms . Despite the fact that Benzema’s destination appears to be Al Ittihad, the player has signed a contract with the Saudi Ministry of Sports which can send him to any Saudi Arabian team that qualifies for the Asian Champions League. What is expected is for Benzema to end up at Al Ittihad, the country’s current league champions. Because in his most direct rival, Al Nassr, Cristiano Ronaldo plays, and Messi should play in the other big team of the country, Al Hilal. This is Saudi Arabia’s plan: to have the three big names of the last decade of the football World Cup in its league, and with that promote its bid for the 2030 World Cup, which will be the great rival of Spain, Portugal and Morocco. At the moment, he already has two: Cristiano and Benzema. They miss Leo, who is about to go down.

This marks the end of Benzema’s relationship with Real Madrid after 14 seasons, 647 games and 353 goals. He landed at the Bernabéu in 2009 after Florentino Pérez himself traveled to Lyon to complete the operation and became the club’s second top scorer in history, just behind Cristiano Ronaldo (451 goals).

forced to strengthen

Benzema’s departure forces Madrid to move. In addition to the imminent arrival of Joselu to replace Mariano, the white club must bring in a striker of the highest level as an offensive reference. Harry Kane (Tottenham) is preferred by the technical staff. At this point, Real Madrid already know what Harry Kane costs. Tottenham valued him (slipping the news in the local London press) at 100 million pounds (115 million euros). The “Spur” entity also prefers to sell the striker to a foreign club, not to strengthen one of the Prime Minister, and in this sense Bayern Munich is the great rival of Real Madrid, although United do not throw the sponge.