Al-Hilal, the leader of the Saudi Football League, has officially announced the signing of French striker Karim Benzema from Al-Ittihad on a one-and-a-half-year deal. Al-Hilal confirmed the news on its “X” account with the phrase “Karim in the leader’s den,” noting that the player will join the team’s training on Tuesday.
This transfer follows a period of speculation about the future of Benzema, the 2022 Ballon d’Or winner, with Al-Ittihad, as he missed his team’s last two matches amid press reports of disagreements over his contract renewal. The French newspaper “L’Équipe” reported that Benzema considered the offer from the Saudi League’s sporting director to be “insulting.”
In a related context, Al-Hilal was held to a goalless draw by its guest Al-Ahli in the twentieth round’s top match at the Kingdom Arena, raising its point tally to 47. The match featured the debut of the young French striker Mohamed-Kader Meite, who recently joined Al-Hilal.
Al-Nassr has closed the gap on the league leader by defeating Al-Riyadh 1-0, with the sole goal scored by Senegalese forward Sadio Mané, reducing the difference with Al-Hilal to just one point. The absence of Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo from the match sparked controversy, especially after a report from the Portuguese newspaper “A Bola” suggested his absence was a protest against the club’s transfer policy.
Al-Hilal continues to strengthen its squad, having also announced the signing of young French midfielder Simon Bouabré from Neom SC for a three-and-a-half-year term.
The transfer of French star Karim Benzema to Al-Hilal has created a significant buzz in the sports world, as he arrives to bolster the Saudi league leader’s attack at a crucial stage of the season. The one-and-a-half-year deal concludes the player’s short and recently tense tenure with Al-Ittihad.
The addition of Karim Benzema comes at a sensitive time for Al-Hilal, which recently stumbled with a draw against Al-Ahli, allowing its direct rival, Al-Nassr, to reduce the gap to a single point. With this major signing, Al-Hilal aims to secure its offensive capabilities to compete strongly for the league title and other championships.
According to multiple media sources.
