Karim Benzema is reportedly closing in on leaving Real Madrid in the summer transfer window amid interest from Saudi Arabia.
According to a report AS, as relayed by Madrid Xtra, Karim Benzema will play his final game for Real Madrid this weekend. The French striker, whose market value is €35 million, is on the verge of leaving the Spanish club. And he will likely move to Saudi Arabia in the summer transfer window.
Karim Benzema has been an extraordinary performer for Real Madrid since arriving from Lyon in July 2009. The 35-year-old was a promising attacking prospect when he left his boyhood club. And he has come leaps and bounds since then, establishing himself as one of the best players in the world.
The Frenchman initially had to bide his time, with Gonzalo Higuain briefly being the first-choice striker. But he did not look back once he forged the much-heralded “BBC” trifecta with Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale. And while Benzema’s role was to play second-fiddle to Ronaldo and Bale, he was a brilliant supporting cast.
But Benzema’s stock has skyrocketed since Ronaldo left Real Madrid in 2018, as he became Los Blancos’ talismanic striker. And he has often scored goals for fun in the last half a decade. The veteran striker’s star has soared so much that he won the Ballon d’Or last year following a sensational 2021/22 campaign.
🚨💣 BREAKING: Karim Benzema is set to leave Real Madrid. @diarioas #rmalive pic.twitter.com/9oQHlOxyEb
— Madrid Zone (@theMadridZone) May 30, 2023
Injuries have troubled the 35-year-old this season, but he still has a solid tally of 30 goals and six assists. Meanwhile, his market value remains a respectable €35 million despite his advancing years. But Benzema’s days at Real Madrid seem numbered amid emerging interest from Saudi Arabia.
Recent reports have claimed that the French striker is considering the offer from Saudi Arabia. And widespread suggestions point towards his next destination being Al-Ittihad. The latest bombshell has revealed that the experienced striker will play his last game for Real Madrid this weekend before leaving in the summer transfer window.
The update comes in the wake of suggestions in March that Real Madrid would tie Benzema to a new contract. But with wages in the region of €200 million per year on offer, it is hardly surprising that the 35-year-old wants his final big package. It will thus be interesting to see if Real Madrid can convince the Frenchman to snub the Saudi Arabian lure and remain at the Santiago Bernabeu.
