Karim Benzema latest star to leave Saudi Arabia? Chelsea, Man United among clubs interested

Al-Ittihad striker 

It has not been smooth sailing for Karim Benzema at Saudi Pro League club Al-Ittihad. Although he has scored nine goals in 15 league games since moving to Saudi Arabia, Benzema has been in the news for an apparent dip in form. Benzema failed to score in the last two SPL games and returned 17 days late from the winter break due to a storm in Mauritius that left him stranded. 

With Benzema arriving late, manager Marcelo Gallardo omitted the striker from the Dubai training camp. That, in turn, has set off a series of reports that Benzema could become the latest high-profile player to flee Saudi Arabia and seek a return to Europe after Jordan Henderson forced a move from Al-Ettifaq to Ajax earlier this month. According to a report by L’Equipe, Benzema has sought permission to leave Al-Ittihad as soon as possible. 

Al-Ittihad, who are one of four clubs owned by the Saudi Public Investment Fund, signed Benzema on a free transfer from Real Madrid last summer. Benzema’s contract will run until 2026 and earn him a reported €100m a season. Signing the star striker was one of many high-profile transfers the club conducted since the PIF took over. Salaries aside, Al-Ittihad spent €120m on new players this season, but after matchday 17, the club based in Jeddah is only seventh, 25 points behind league leaders Al-Hilal. 

Despite apparent struggles – Benzema still a force in Saudi Arabia

“When you are used to a certain level [of performance], and your results are a little less good at a given moment, people immediately say that it is the end of your career,” Benzema’s lawyer Hugues Vigier said to French channel RMC when asked about Benzema’s current struggles in Saudi Arabia. Before adding: “We saw him rise from the ashes. If you remember, he didn’t play much when he arrived at Real Madrid, but he became this absolutely essential player. And he has worse moments and better moments; it’s like that for all athletes.”

Benzema has always been somewhat of an enigma at Real Madrid. Always overshadowed by Cristiano Ronaldo, Benzema started to become Real’s leading striker after the Portuguese superstar left for Juventus in 2018. In the following five seasons, Benzema would score 21, 21, 23, 27, and then 19 LaLiga goals. During the 2021/22 campaign, Benzema also scored 15 goals in 12 Champions League games, leading Real Madrid to the fifth title since he has been at the club. Benzema would later win the Ballon d’Or and, despite being over 34 at the time, see his market value increase to €35m—a rarity for a player in his mid-30s. 

It was a remarkable rise for a player deemed by many as already past his zenith. Now Benzema once again faces a crossroads in his career. But has he actually struggled in Saudi? A glance at Benzema’s stats suggests that it isn’t that straightforward of an answer. The 36-year-old is sixth overall in scoring (overview). According to Wyscout, Benzema is fourth with 3.24 shots on goal per 90 minutes and ranks sixth with 4.89 touches inside the penalty box. Also, his xG of 0.86 per 90 minutes ranks him third in the league behind only Aleksandar Mitrovic and Cristiano Ronaldo, suggesting that Benzema’s goal rate will surely increase from his current 0.57 goals per 90 minutes. 

Benzema return to Europe – Olympique Lyon or Premier League?

Indeed, the 0.57 goals per 90 minutes are still an excellent rate for a 36-year-old striker. A rate that could improve significantly if surrounded by better players in a more cohesive system. The stats could make Benzema a great short-term fix for a club like Manchester United or Chelsea looking for a classic no.9 who guarantees goals at least every second game. The question is, what does Benzema want? 

After all, the Frenchman has been perpetually linked with a return to his youth team, Olympique Lyon. “I have to say that I would be quite happy to see him come back to play in Lyon; I would like it… but he hasn’t told me that yet,” Benzema’s lawyer, Vigier, said in the RMC interview. It would be romantic to see Benzema see out his career with OL. But could they afford the striker? Could the prospect of playing for more money in the Premier League delay the return? And what about his contract in Saudi Arabia? Those are questions to ponder for both Benzema and his club, Al-Ittihad, as Europe slowly but surely heads towards the end of the January transfer window. 

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