Real Madrid announce Karim Benzema is LEAVING the club this summer after agreeing to end his 14-year spell… as mega £345m move to Saudi Arabia looms for Ballon d’Or winner
- Real Madrid have confirmed that Karim Benzema is leaving the club this summer
- The 35-year-old departs as Los Blancos’ second highest goalscorer of all time
- Ballon d’Or winner will reportedly join Saudi Pro League champions Al-Ittihad
Karim Benzema will leave Real Madrid this summer after 14 years in the Spanish capital to join Saudi Arabian side Al-Ittihad.
The 35-year-old’s departure was confirmed on Sunday through an official statement on the club’s website that referred to the striker as a ‘fundamental player in this golden age of our history.’
The Ballon d’Or winner is set to join the Jeddah-based side on a deal reported to be worth in excess of £172million per year.
Al-Ittihad are currently managed by former Wolves and Tottenham boss Nuno Espirito Santo and won the 2022-23 Saudi Pro League, five points clear of Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr.
Earlier this month Benzema had downplayed reports that he would depart the club this summer, and insisted that, at least for ‘the moment’, he remained on the books at Madrid.
Benzema has made over 600 appearances in all competitions for Los Blancos, and is the club’s second-highest goalscorer of all time, behind only Cristiano Ronaldo.
Then-Madrid boss Manuel Pellegrini brought Benzema to the Bernabeu in 2009, after he had enjoyed a pair of prolific campaigns in Ligue 1 with Lyon.
Since then the striker has been an integral part of Real Madrid’s dominance, winning fives Champions League tiles and La Liga four times.
More to follow
Karim Benzema is leaving Real Madrid after 14 glittering years with the Spanish club
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