Karim Benzema will join his former teammate Cristiano Ronaldo in the Saudi league. The French Ballon d'Or has committed for three years with the Saudi club Al-Ittihad, based in Jeddah, AFP learned Tuesday from an internal source at the club.
"Benzema has signed a contract for his transfer to Al-Ittihad, for a period of three years," the source said of the 35-year-old striker. The Frenchman played his last game for Real on Sunday against Athletic Bilbao, after 14 seasons with the Madrid club.
Since last week, the Spanish press has been echoing the huge offer from one of the flagship clubs of Riyadh, rival of Al-Nassr, where Ronaldo has been playing since January. There is talk of a monumental contract for the former striker of the Blues: a salary of 100 million per year, which would be accompanied by a place of ambassador of the Saudi bid for the 2030 World Cup.
On Sunday, Real had formalized the news of his departure. "Real Madrid and our captain Karim Benzema have agreed to end his brilliant and unforgettable stint as a player at our club," the club said in a statement. Real Madrid wants to show its gratitude and affection to the one who is one of our greatest legends. The Merengues announced the holding of a tribute Tuesday at noon in the presence of President Florentino Perez.
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