Karim Benzema bids farewell to Real Madrid after 14 years
Real Madrid have confirmed that striker Karim Benzema will leave the club at the end of the season. The Frenchman reportedly reached an agreement with Saudi Pro League club Al Ittihad and will sign a two-year deal.
Illustrious Madrid career comes to an end
The 35-year-old joined the Los Blancos from Lyon in 2009 and leaves the Spanish side after an illustrious 14 years.
During his time at the club, the striker has won 25 titles including a record 5 Champions League, 4 League Titles and 5 Club World Clubs.
Benzema is Real’s second all-time goal scorer with 353 goals in 647 appearances and is also the current holder of the Ballon D’Or and the UEFA Player of the Year.
Club make statement
The official statement from the club read, “Real Madrid Football Club and our captain Karim Benzema have agreed to bring his brilliant and unforgettable time as a player at our club to a close. Real Madrid would like to show our gratitude and affection to a player who is already one of our greatest legends.”
Benzema will wave goodbyes to the club’s supporters at the Bernabeu on Sunday while the club will officially bid farewell to the player next Tuesday. An event is set to take place at the Real Madrid Sport City which will be attended by President Florentino Perez.
Spanish Media outlet AS have reported that Benzema is being offered a mega €200m deal over two seasons to sign for Al Ittihad. It is believed that as a part of the agreement, the striker could also be an ambassador for Saudi’s joint bid to host the 2030 World Cup.
It will be interesting to see how Real replace the prolific Frenchman up front in attack. The club has already signed backup striker Joselu from Espanyol, however, the Spaniard will provide more squad depth along with Mariano Diaz.
Manager Carlo Ancelotti is said to be a huge admirer of Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane, it remains to be seen if the Englishman finally makes the move overseas in search of trophies that he has always been looking for. Marca has claimed that Real are confident they can reach an agreement with the player at the club in the coming days.
Photo credit: IMAGO / PA Images