Reliable media sources have revealed that Al-Ittihad Club intends to terminate the services of its French star Karim Benzema, just one season after his high-profile signing with the team.
According to the British newspaper “Daily Mail”, Al-Ittihad’s management has decided to mutually terminate Benzema’s contract, with the 36-year-old player leaving the Saudi league at the end of the current season, a year before his contract was set to expire in the summer of 2025.
Reports indicate that Benzema will receive a compensation of £7.5 million (approximately 35 million Saudi riyals) for the contract termination, a significant amount for a player who did not meet expectations during his time with the team.
Benzema had joined Al-Ittihad on a free transfer after his contract with Real Madrid ended, signing a three-year deal worth £171 million annually (around 800 million Saudi riyals), making him one of the highest-paid players in the world.
During his time with Al-Ittihad, Benzema participated in 26 matches across all competitions, scoring 16 goals and providing 6 assists. Despite these relatively good numbers, his performance did not meet expectations, especially in crucial matches, leading to widespread criticism from fans and media.
Sources confirmed that Benzema, who has a strong relationship with his compatriot N’Golo Kanté, his former Real Madrid teammate who also plays for Al-Ittihad, will not move to another Saudi league club but will return to Europe to continue his career with an undisclosed club.
Benzema had previously stated that he was happy in Saudi Arabia and wanted to stay with Al-Ittihad, but it seems that disagreements with management and the team’s negative results have led both parties to consider a mutual separation.
In related news, “The Athletic” newspaper confirmed that Benzema will receive £7.5 million as compensation for the contract termination, which is roughly half his annual salary.
With this decision, Al-Ittihad has rid itself of the burden of Benzema’s hefty salary, but at the same time, it will lose one of the world’s best strikers, which may affect the team’s ambitions in the coming seasons.
It’s worth noting that Benzema had led Real Madrid to win the UEFA Champions League in 2022 and 2023, and won the Ballon d’Or for the world’s best player in 2022, before deciding to move to the Saudi league in search of a new challenge and huge