The relationship between Karim Benzema and Al-Ittihad is going through a crisis that threatens to seal an early departure of the French striker from the Saudi club.The tension broke out after the captain, the main figure of the squad, received what he himself described as a “humiliating and insulting offer” to renegotiate his contract.
As reported by L’Équipe, this disagreement, a few days before the closing of the transfer market and with the season underway, could cause the footballer to leave before the end of his contract, which expires on June 30.A salary proposal “much lower than the 108 million euros per year” that he currently receives was the trigger for this break.
This situation led to a conflict between Benzema and Al-Ittihad, whose management is seen as impotent.This is a hard blow for the team led by Sergio Conceição, which loses its captain, the main architect of last season’s league and cup double.”I’m here to train, prepare for the game, get results, win titles. The rest goes beyond my job. What I can say is that Karim is an excellent professional, a fantastic player who I am proud to coach,” said the coach.
The signs of deterioration were quickly reflected in Benzema’s sporting present: he already missed the match against Al-Fateh and his name was left out of the 20 called for the match against that same rival on the 18th round of the Saudi league, a situation that increased rumors about his possible departure and cast a shadow on the immediate future of the Jeddah club.
Sources close to the player’s environment stated that the proposal received by the leadership “was equivalent to playing for free”, underscoring the level of discomfort caused by the position adopted by the board headed by Michael Emenalo, director of football for the Saudi Pro League.
The lack of official communication from both Al-Ittihad and the forward himself did not contribute to clearing up the uncertainty, while the list of absences began to weigh on the campaign.The discomfort would have led Benzema to even consider the option of not playing the match against Al-Najma this Sunday, a possibility that was unthinkable a few months ago.All this happens while the club is going through a season well below expectations: it is sixth and is already 15 points behind the leader, Al Hilal.
The conflict between the French forward and the Saudi Arabian club coincided with the opening of the European winter market, which stimulates speculation about Benzema’s eventual return to Europe if a solution is not found in the coming weeks.The situation makes the scorer a possible target for top-level clubs, waiting to define his future while maintaining a low profile and not speaking publicly on the subject.
Since his arrival in Saudi Arabia in 2023, Benzema’s impact on the Jeddah club was overwhelming: he played 83 games, scored 54 goals and assisted on 17 occasions, totaling more than 7,100 minutes on the field.After having won the league and cup last season, now both the club and its fans are watching with concern the outcome of a situation that threatens to further weaken Al-Ittihad’s sporting structure.
