Former Real Madrid captain Karim Benzema has signed a three-year transfer contract to Saudi league champions Al Ittihad, a source at the Jeddah club said on Tuesday. Benzema, 35, became the second major deal concluded by Saudi clubs since the beginning of this year, after signing Al-Nasr club Cristiano Ronaldo in a deal estimated at more than 440 million euros for two and a half years.
Saudi club Al Hilal is also currently in direct negotiations with Argentine world champion Lionel Messi.