The ‘oil money’ Saudi Arabian league is about to get bigger. Having succeeded in keeping Cristiano Ronaldo (38, Al Nasr), they are close to signing Lionel Messi (35), a free agent following Karim Benzema’s parting of ways with Real Madrid.
“We part ways with our ‘captain’ Benzema,” Real announced on its website on Thursday. We express our gratitude and affection to one of our greatest legends.”
Benzema made his Real debut in 2009 at the age of 21 and played 14 seasons with the club until this season. During that time, he won four Spanish La Liga titles, three national cups and five UEFA Champions League titles.
Benzema was La Liga’s top scorer (27 goals) in the 2021-2022 season and won the Ballon d’Or last year. This season, despite being 35 years old, he is second in La Liga in scoring with 18 goals.
With 353 goals in 647 career appearances for Real, Benzema is the second-highest scorer in the club’s history, which is why he is referred to as a “legend” at the club.
In parting ways with Benzema, Real said: “Benzema, a ‘representative player’ who has raised our values, has now earned the right to decide his future, and Real will always be his home. We wish Benzema and his family all the best in this new phase of his life.”
Later that day, Benzema signed a two-year contract with Saudi Arabian league side Al Ittihad, according to the BBC.
Spanish outlet As reported the same news. It announced Benzema’s move with a €200 million (KRW 280.4 billion) price tag, adding, “He will also receive a bonus as an ambassador for Saudi Arabia’s bid to host the 2030 World Cup.”
“Benzema will be the second in line after Ronaldo, who will be heading to the Saudi league after the 2022 Qatar World Cup,” said ‘As,’ adding, “Benzema is expected to accept Al Ittihad’s offer. A rivalry with Ronaldo has been formed.”
Ronaldo and Benzema wore the Real shirt around the same time. They joined in the summer of 2009. Ronaldo played for Real until 2018, when he moved to Juventus in the Italian league.
Ronaldo and Karim Benzema are “Real’s best partnership” and have played 342 games together.
If Benzema goes to the “oil money” league as reported, the two will be together in the Saudi league, a move no one could have easily predicted. Last winter, Ronaldo left Manchester United for Al Nasr.
Now, news has emerged that another superstar is moving to the Saudi League.
“Al-Hilal are set to officially announce the signing of superstar Lionel Messi in the coming days,” the Mirror reported on Thursday morning.
“Al Hilal have set a date for the announcement of Messi’s signing,” it continued, “and according to ‘Sport,’ the announcement will be made on the 6th (local time). Al-Hilal has offered Messi an ‘astronomical’ amount of money, which would make him the highest-paid player in the world.”먹튀검증
While the exact salary was not disclosed, on May 31, transfer market specialist Football Transfer quoted French outlet Foot Mercato as saying, “Messi has accepted Al Hilal’s offer of €600 million ($851.4 million) a year. The club has offered Messi a two-year contract, which means he will receive a total of €1.2 billion.”
Messi, who spent his youth career at Barcelona, made his first-team debut in 2004. Seemingly a ‘one-club man’, he moved to PSG just before the 2021-2022 season, where he played two seasons and recently parted ways with the club. Saudi Arabia is the likely destination.
It’s quite possible that the trio that once dominated Spanish La Liga could reunite in the Saudi league.