Karim Benzema signs for Al-Ittihad

Karim Benzema has closed the curtains on an incredibly successful career at Real Madrid, opting to sign for Al-Ittihad in a deal worth a reported £200m annually. The Frenchman spent fourteen years in the Spanish capital, but has now made the move to the Saudi Arabian champions.

During his time in Spain, the striker scored a staggering 354 goals in 658 appearances, putting him second on Real Madrid’s all-time top goalscoring leaderboard.

Benzema said his farewells to los Blancos last weekend, ahead of a highly anticipated move to the Gulf. He’ll link up with former Wolves and Tottenham manager, Nuno Espirito Santos, who guided the Saudi side to finish five points clear of Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr at the top of the table.

It’s believed that the move will see Benzema form part of the country’s joint bid for the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which the Saudi Arabian government wish to host alongside Türkiye and Greece.

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