After 14 years with Real Madrid, Karim Benzema will depart the team. When the current campaign is over, the Ballon d’Or-winning striker, who transferred from Lyon to the Spanish powerhouse in 2009, will leave on a free transfer. According to Spanish football journalist Guillem Balague, Benzema, who has one year left on his contract, is planning to relocate to Saudi Arabia after obtaining a “record offer” from Al-Ittihad.
Benzema, 35, helped Madrid win four La Liga championships and five Champions Leagues. Benzema will sign a two-year contract with Al-Ittihad, according to a report on Sunday from the Saudi state-run Al Ekhbariya television station. Real manager Carlo Ancelotti had declared on Saturday that he anticipated the former French international to stay next season. “Benzema has set the bar for conduct and professionalism, and has stood for the principles of our team, Madrid said in a statement on Sunday. He is entitled to make his own future plans. After it was revealed on Saturday that both Eden Hazard and Marco Asensio will also leave Madrid this summer, he is the third first-team player whose departure has been confirmed in the past two days. The Frenchman set a club record with Real Madrid by winning a total of 25 major championships.
The current Ballon d’Or winner, Benzema led Real Madrid to the Champions League championship last year with 15 goals in the tournament. He also won three Copa del Rey championships and five Club World Cups. Benzema is second on Madrid’s all-time goalscoring list with 647 appearances. only Cristiano Ronaldo has more on the list, with 353. On Sunday against Athletic Bilbao, their penultimate game of the 2022–23 La Liga season, he will play his last game for Real Madrid.
The club went on to say that “Madridistas and all fans around the world have enjoyed his magical and unique football, which has made him one of the great legends of our club and one of the great legends of world football.” “Real Madrid is and will always be his home, and we wish him and all of his family the best in this new phase of his life.” If Madrid wins on Sunday, they would finish second in La Liga, but they are 11 points behind champions Barcelona and have not successfully defended their Champions League crown. after being defeated by Manchester City in the semifinals.
These setbacks have sparked numerous rumors of changes at Santiago Bernabeu this summer, with Benzema’s departure ranking among the most significant. When asked about his future on Thursday, Benzema responded, “The internet is not reality.” Ancelotti had stated on Saturday that he had “no doubts” Benzema will stay. Real will need to sign a new striker because several important players are departing. Spanish striker Joselu, according to Balague, might sign on loan from Espanyol, while Ancelotti is an admirer of Harry Kane of Tottenham. Next summer, Real also intends to make a play for Paris St. Germain striker Kylian Mbappe. Kane is a wonderful player, and he is from Tottenham, according to Ancelotti, who was speaking on Saturday.
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