The Saudi club Al-Hilal announced on Monday its contract with striker Karim Benzema in a free transfer deal, after ending his contract with local competitor Al-Ittihad, the reigning champion of the Saudi Pro League.
This will be Benzema’s second experience in Saudi Arabia, after he led Al-Ittihad to win both the league title and the King’s Cup last season. His contract with Al-Hilal will extend for a year and a half.
Al-Hilal stated on its website, “The management of Al-Hilal has completed the procedures for signing the contract for the transfer of French star Karim Benzema to the first team of Al-Hilal for a period of one and a half years.”
Al-Hilal announced the deal via X platform and the Saudi club said, “Karim is at the heart of the leader,” one minute before Al-Ittihad announced the termination of his contract.
Al-Ittihad said in a statement, “It was decided to terminate the contractual relationship between the club and the first-team football player Karim Benzema.”
Benzema’s contract (38 years old) with Al-Ittihad was set to expire at the end of the current season, after he joined the team on a free transfer in the summer of 2023, following 14 years spent with Real Madrid.
Local media reported that the move to Al-Hilal came after Benzema rejected the offer made to him to extend his contract with Al-Ittihad. The former French striker had missed the last two matches for the team in the league.
Benzema scored 16 goals in 21 matches with Al-Ittihad across various competitions in the current season.
Benzema, who will wear number 90 with Al-Hilal, said he will always feel “gratitude and respect” for his experience with Al-Ittihad.
He wrote through his account on the X platform, “Thank you to the club, the administrative staff, my teammates, and especially the fans for the warm welcome, love, and support you embraced me with daily.”
“This journey has given me so much on both a personal and professional level. I leave with my head held high, proud to wear these colors and everything we achieved together.”
Benzema returned the league title to Al-Ittihad last season, scoring 21 goals in 29 matches, leading the team from Jeddah to win the prominent local competition for the second time in three years.
He also led Al-Ittihad to win the King’s Cup of Saudi Arabia after scoring four goals in four matches.
The striker’s goals, who began his career at Lyon’s academy in France, were crucial, as he scored two goals in the 2-2 draw with Al-Hilal before winning against them on penalties in the quarter-finals, and he netted another double in the 3-1 victory over Al-Qadisiyyah in the final.
Benzema’s goals, having won the UEFA Champions League five times, contributed to Al-Ittihad winning the domestic double for the first time in its history.
Al-Hilal leads the league with 47 points, one point ahead of second-placed Al-Nassr. Al-Ittihad is in sixth place with 34 points.
