Benzema Saudi transfer already a DISASTER with ex-Real Madrid star UNWANTED by Al-Ittihad

Suraj Radia

Updated: 23 Aug 2023 16:40 BST
4 min read

Karim Benzema: better the devil you know? — © ProShots

One of the marquee arrivals of Saudi Arabia’s transfer revolution has already caused controversy, with Al-Ittihad manager Nuno Espirito Santo claiming Karim Benzema does not fit into his tactical style.

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Benzema was the first major European player to make the move to the Saudi Pro League this summer, with the Ballon d’Or winner signing a three-year deal worth €200 million-a-year after leaving Real Madrid on a free transfer.

The 34-year-old paved the path to Saudi Arabia following Cristiano Ronaldo’s move to Al-Nassr in January and was joined at Al-Ittihad by N’Golo Kante and Fabinho, who left the Premier League to join the Pro League.

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However, despite winning their opening two games and sitting top of the table, Benzema has failed to score in either match and reports from Saudi state that Nuno has now informed the Al-Ittihad board of the Frenchman’s poor fit in his plans.

The report from Saudi paper Al-Sharq Al-Awsat even goes as far to claim that Nuno never wanted Benzema at the club in the first place, leading to tension between the pair.

Benzema is also thought to be angry at being denied the captain’s armband by Nuno, with the ex-Tottenham manager picking two other players despite the striker’s reported pleas in front of his teammates.

Al-Ittihad showing cracks already

The friction surrounding Benzema is not the first incident that has caused concern at Al-Ittihad, despite the success on the pitch for the Saudi giants.

Former Celtic forward Jota, who arrived at Al-Ittihad for €30m in July, has already been told to leave the club for reasons that have yet to be made clear to the public.

Consequently, the futures of both Jota and Benzema remain uncertain, with neither player appearing willing to break the lucrative, long-term contracts they penned over the summer.

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It appears unlikely that Al-Ittihad would find a team willing to cover either player’s huge salary in a loan move, while parting ways with the manager who won the club their first Pro League in nearly 15 years could also prove unpopular, leaving the Saudi outfit in a difficult position early into the new season.