June 01, (THEWILL) – Karim Benzema has reportedly communicated to Real Madrid president, Florentino Perez, his decision to part ways with the club once his contract expires at the end of this month.
Benzema, who has enjoyed an illustrious 14-year spell at the Bernabeu, will bring an end to his glittering time with Los Blancos as he potentially seeks fresh prospects in Saudi Arabia with the recently crowned champions of the Saudi Pro League, Al-Ittihad.
The French striker had an array of options at his disposal, but reportedly chose Al-Ittihad, which means he will find himself on the opposing side to his former Real teammate Cristiano Ronaldo in the upcoming season. In January, Ronaldo made a move to Al-Nassr, the runners-up in the final league standings.
Benzema is expected to pen a contract that will extend until 2025, with a basic annual salary of €100m, and the potential for further increase through bonuses. Initially, the 35-year-old had agreed in principle, albeit informally, to a fresh one-year deal with Real. However, he subsequently had a change of heart and has now opted to depart from European football altogether, having secured an impressive collection of accolades including five UEFA Champions League triumphs, four La Liga titles, three Copa del Reys, and a total of 12 other trophies.
As a potential replacement for Benzema, Real Madrid have already set their sights on Tottenham forward Harry Kane. Meanwhile, there are also rumours linking Croatian playmaker Luka Modric with a possible move to Saudi Arabia. Although Modric is yet to finalise an extension to his contract, reports from within Madrid hold that the Croatian maestro will remain with the club.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
