France international striker Karim Benzema, the 2022 Ballon d’Or winner for the world’s best soccer player, has moved to the Saudi Arabian league. The move follows the departure of superstar Cristiano Ronaldo (Al-Nasr).
Al Ittihad (Saudi Arabia) announced the signing of Benzema on Sunday on the club’s website. Benzema posed for a photo with the club’s jersey and a smile on his face. The three-year deal will keep him at the club until 2026. Further details of the deal were not disclosed.
ESPN estimated Benzema’s price tag, saying, “Altyhad recently offered Benzema 400 million euros ($556 million) over two years.”
Since Ronaldo’s departure from Real Madrid (Spain) in January, another world-class player has joined the Saudi Arabian league.
The Saudi Arabian league has been attracting star players thanks to its deep pockets. Lionel Messi (Paris Saint-Germain) and N’Golo Kante 스포츠토토 (Chelsea) have also been linked to the league.
Benzema is a top-notch striker who won the Ballon d’Or last year and scored 19 goals in Spanish La Liga last season.
He has won four titles in a Real Madrid uniform and helped the club win five UEFA Champions League titles.
Benzema, who has represented France at every age group, began his professional career with Lyon (France) in 2004 and played for Real Madrid from 2009 until recently. He has 97 caps for France, scoring 37 goals.
Al-Ittihad are the 2022-2023 league champions and are nearly 100 years old, having been founded in 1927.
Nuno Espirito Santo (Portugal), formerly of Tottenham in the English Premier League (EPL), is at the helm. According to local reports, Kante has also been linked with a move to the Etihad.