Goodbye legend, Liverpool player to go with Benzema to Saudi Arabia

Karim Benzema will leave Real Madrid when his contract expires this month to join Saudi Arabia's Al Ittihad, sources told ESPN. It reported earlier this week that Benzema was offered a two-year contract worth 400 million euros to move to Saudi Arabia in January, the same deal as Cristiano Ronaldo, who joined Al Nassr after leaving Manchester United.

The 35-year-old centre-forward has spent 14 seasons at the Bernabeu, becoming the club's second top scorer and winning five Champions League titles, four La Liga titles and the 2022 Ballon d'Or. Benzema was expected to stay at Real Madrid for one more season until June 2024, but opted to accept a new challenge. Real Madrid are in advanced talks to sign Joselu on loan to replace Mariano Diaz, but will be looking for someone else to bolster the attack.

The Madrid club captain has had an injury-plagued season, having missed the 2022 World Cup in Qatar with a hamstring problem, but still scored 18 goals in 23 LaLiga appearances, as well as four goals in the Champions League knockout stages. Benzema joined Madrid from Lyon in 2009 as one of the most highly rated young strikers in Europe. He initially had to compete with Gonzalo Higuain for a place in the starting XI, before becoming part of Madrid's iconic "BBC" striker alongside Gareth Bale and Ronaldo.

Who will join him in Arabia

Roberto Firmino has also been linked with Arabian football following the expiration of his contract with Liverpool. According to several sources, the Brazilian has been wanted by several teams in this league where Cristiano Ronaldo is already playing and where Lionel Messi could also arrive.