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Last summer, European football saw many big names fall victim to big money from Saudi Arabia. But a few months later, several stars are again linked with leaving the Gulf state. Also Karim Benzema.
It is no coincidence that the Saudis have recently invested so much money in the arrival of big names from football. The country wants to present itself more positively and thus promote tourism. In addition, Saudi Arabia will host the World Cup in 2034.
And so they do everything they can to make the local competition as attractive as possible. To this end, millions are being spent on the arrival of big names who have shaped European football in recent years. Cristiano Ronaldo paved the way with his move to Al-Nassr at the beginning of 2023.
Dissatisfied Benzema
And during last summer’s Mercato, many other big names followed the Portuguese. Also Karim Benzema. The former Ballon d’Or winner did not renew his contract and moved to Saudi champions Al-Ittihad. But this transition was not initially a success.
The results are quite disappointing, with Al-Ittihad currently only in seventh place in the Saudi Pro League. Furthermore, Benzema would feel too much pressure internally, which would affect his performance. To top it all off, he also showed up to winter training camp days late.
Return to Europe
After almost half a year, Benzema is already explicitly linked to a (temporary) departure. Former club Olympique Lyon are already dreaming loudly of a loan deal and according to The Guardian, this plan is now starting to mature at Chelsea FC. However, finding a deal won’t be easy. According to well-known journalist Ben Jacobs, Al-Ittihad does not want to cooperate if he leaves.
In the event of a loan, the Saudis would refuse to pay even a single share of the salary costs. Benzema made it clear that he definitely does not want to play for another Saudi club; a return to Europe is his priority. So it promises to be an urgent soap opera.
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